Star Wars Episode 1: A Retelling
by Tellemicus Sundance
Summary: One split-second decision, one moment of faith, one choice. That is all it can take to alter the fate of billions. Now, a new force is rising. Neither Jedi nor Sith, but also both. It is something greater than either. The Chosen One has found a long forgotten path. And this is his story...
1. Anakin's Creed

**Star Wars: Episode 1—A Retelling  
**The Phantom Menace  
By: Tellemicus Sundance  
_#01: Anakin's Creed_

**34 BBY**

_Tatooine._

_The twin suns burned down out of a cloudless blue sky, washing the vast desert wastes of the planet in brilliant white light. The resultant glare rose off the flat, sandy surface in a wet shimmer of blistering heat to fill the gaps between the massive cliff faces and solitary outcroppings of the mountains that were the planet's sole distinguishing feature. Sharply etched, the monoliths stood like sentinels keeping watch in a watery haze._

_When the Podracers streaked past, engines roaring with ferocious hunger and relentless drive, the heat and the light seemed to shatter and the mountains trembled. Anakin Skywalker leaned into the curve of the raceway that took him past the stone arch marking the entry into Beggar's Canyon on the first lap of the run. He eased the thruster bars forward, giving the engines a little more juice. The wedge-shaped rockets exploded with power, the right a tad harder than the left, banking the Pod sharply left to clear the turn._

_Swiftly, he adjusted the steering to straighten the racer, boosted power further, and shot through the arch. Loose sands whiplashed in the wake of his passing and filled the air with a gritty sheen that whirled and danced. He ripped into the canyon, fingers playing across the controls, hands steady on the steering._

_It was all so quick, so instantaneous. One mistake, one misjudgment, and he would be out of the race and be lucky if he weren't dead. That was the thrill of it. All that power, all that speed, just at his fingertips, and no margin for error. Two huge turbines dragged a fragile Pod over sandy flats, around jagged-edged mountains, down shadowed draws, and over heart-wrenching drops in a series of twisting and winding curves and jumps at the greatest speed a driver could manage. Control cables ran from the Pod to the engines, and energy binders locked the engines to each other. If any part of the three struck something solid, the whole of the assembly would collapse in a splintering of metal and a fiery wash of rocket fuel. If any part broke free, it was all over._

_A grin momentarily split Anakin's face as he injected a bit more power into the thrusters. This was the thing he loved most. The danger of the race itself brought all his senses to their maximum. Adrenaline flooded his veins, his reactions were quicker, his thinking was clearer, his instincts worked in tune with his thoughts. A jumble of sensations that he could sometimes let himself get lost in, guiding him, helping him anticipate and react. It sometimes felt like an unknown force, like a mother's gentle hand protecting him and her soft voice whispering encouragement into his ear, that filled and overflowed him. It was times like these he truly felt __**alive**__._

_Sitting in the Pod with his hands on the controls, Anakin could feel the vibration of the engines travel up the control cables and fill him with their music. Wrapped in his rough-made jumpsuit, his racing helmet, his goggles, and his gloves, he was wedged so closely in his seat that he could feel the rush of the wind across the Pod's skin beneath him. And yet, he was not simply the pilot of the Podracer, never just an additional part. Rather, he was at one with the whole. It spoke to him in its own language, a mix of sounds and feelings, and he could understand everything it said. The differences between Pod and flesh vanished and merged together into one being, him. _

_Ahead, the canyon narrowed and the shadows deepened. Anakin bore down on the slit of brightness that opened back onto the flats, keeping low to the ground where the passage was widest. If he stayed high, he risked brushing the cliff faces on either side. That had happened to Regga in a race last month, and he was sure that the Jawas were still looking for all of the pieces. But it would not happen to him. He shoved the thruster bars forward and exploded through the gap onto the flats, engines screaming._

_A flash of gleaming orange metal shot past him on his right, and he watched the distinctive split-X of Sebulba's engines flare out before him, taking away the lead that he had seized through an unusually quick start. His brow wrinkled in disgust at himself for his momentary lapse of concentration and his dislike for the other racer. All gangly and crook-legged, Sebulba was as twisted inside as out, a dangerous adversary who cheated quite regularly in order to win. Anakin knew Sebulba well, and knew better than to take chances with him._

_Sliding the thruster bars forward, Anakin fed fresh power to the engines and rocketed ahead. It didn't help much, he supposed as he watched the distance between the narrow at a painstakingly slow pace. As the racers were quickly approaching the arena erected on the edge of Mos Espa, Anakin tried to recover the lost sensations he'd been experiencing earlier. Where did that guiding force go to?!_

_After a few tense moments of fruitless mental searching, he gave up and focused once again upon the race as he tore through the arena. His attention was split only momentarily as he glanced at the blurred spectators in search of his mother, who he knew was worrying for his safety. He liked having her here to watch his races. It gave him a strange sense of confidence in himself that he didn't like to think about too closely._

_Arch Canyon rose broad and deep before him, an expanse of rock leading into Jag Crag Gorge, a twisting channel the racers were required to navigate on their way to the high flats beyond. Sebulba was just ahead, rocketing low and tight across the ground, trying to put some distance between Anakin and himself. Behind Anakin, close now, were three other racers spread out against the horizon. A quick glance revealed Mawhonic, Gasgano, and Rimkar trailing in his strange bubble pod. All three were gaining. Anakin started to engage his thrusters, then drew back. They were too close to the gorge. Too much power there and he would be in trouble. High speeds in the channel caused response time to get greatly compacted down to almost nothing. It was better to wait._

_Mawhonic and Gasgano seemed to agree, setting their Pods into place behind his as they approached the split in the rock. But Rimkar was not content to wait and roared past Anakin split seconds before they entered the cleft and disappeared into darkness._

_Anakin leveled out his Pod, lifting slightly from the rock-strewn floor of the channel. In the darkness, he found his guiding force again. Surrendering himself to it, he let it, his memory, and his instincts take him down the winding cut. Once again, he found himself seeing the surrounding world slow down as his perception of time changed and his reflexes sharpened immensely. He knew where all the rocks, sand, and shadows were as he flew past. He was so sure of what he was feeling that Anakin knew he could've flown through the darkness at double the speeds with his eyes closed and still have emerged unscathed. He was that much in tune with everything around him, that much aware of where he was._

_He eased swiftly down the channel, catching glimpses of Rimkar's engine exhausts as they flashed crimson in the shadows. Far, far overhead, the sky was a brilliant blue streak down the center of the mountain. The mountain reflected light off it, sending a frail streamer into the gap that lost brilliance with every meter it dropped. By the time it reached Anakin and his fellow racers, it barely cut the dark. Yet Anakin was once again at peace, lost deep within himself as he flew his Pod, bonded once again with his engines, given over the throb and hum of his racer and the soft, velvet dark that folded about._

_When they emerged into the light once more, Anakin jammed the thruster bars forward and streaked after Sebulba. Mawhonic and Gasgano were right behind him. Up ahead, Rimkar had caught Sebulba and was trying to edge past. The lanky Dug lifted his split-X engines slightly to scrape against Rimkar's Pod. But Rimkar's rounded shell eased smoothly away, unaffected. Side by side, the racers tore across the high flats, headed for Metta Drop. Anakin closed on them, drawing away from Mawhonic and Gasgano. People said what they wanted about Watto—and there was plenty to say that wasn't good—but he had an eye for quality Podracers. The big engines jumped obediently as Anakin fed fuel into the thrusters._

_It was as he was drawing up alongside Sebulba that Anakin felt a sudden, sharp stab of unease jab into him. His sense of time practically came to a halt as a moment of indecision hit him. That unknown force that had been guiding and helping him was suddenly yelling at him, begging him to hold, to wait. __**Something bad is going to happen**__, it was whispering to him. In that split second of indecision, Anakin could feel a strange weight descend upon his shoulders. In his later years, he would look back upon this moment and understand just how significant his next choice would be for the future of himself, his family, and the galaxy in general._

_Taking a gamble, Anakin decided to put his faith in that guiding force, trusting in the power to see him safely through the coming danger. He eased up slightly on the thrusters, which left him trailing behind both Rimkar and Sebulba as they all reached Metta Drop, rocketed over, and tumbled straight down. It was in the following seconds that Anakin came to realize that his split second decision had been the correct one._

_The trick with drops, as every racer knew, was to gather enough speed going down to gain time and distance over your opponents, but not so much speed that the racer couldn't pull out of the drop and level out again before it nose-dived into the rocks below. So when Sebulba pulled out early, Anakin had been momentarily surprised. Then he saw the treacherous Dug had allowed himself to be pulled up by the winds before he deliberately fishtailed atop Rimkar, using his exhaust to slam the racer against the cliff face._

_Rimkar, caught completely by surprise, jammed his thruster bars forward in an automatic response that took him right into the mountain. Metal fragments of Pod and engines careened away from the rock wall in a fiery shower, leaving a long black scar along the ravaged surface. Even from his relatively safe spot behind Rimkar, Anakin might've gone the same way, if not for his instincts and that guiding force. Before he even really knew what he was doing, Anakin was already pulling out his drop and swerving away from Sebulba's lingering backwash and the explosion of Rimkar's former Pod._

_Skirting along the edge of the explosion, Anakin saw that he now held the advantage over Sebulba. The Dug was ahead and below him, looking off to the other side of his Pod—clearly trying to catch a glimpse of his handiwork—and not in the direction of which Anakin was approaching from. Gunning the thrusters, his Pod leapt forward with a powerful forward surge. He pulled up level to Sebulba's Pod as the Dug was finally taking notice of him and looking his way. For the fraction of the second that he saw it, Anakin deeply enjoyed the look of unrestrained confusion and shock on Sebulba's face as his hated slave rival shot past him at tremendous speeds._

_Once he had safely landed and leveled out on the surface below, Anakin switched his engines into high gear and punched the thrusters for every ounce of power they had to spare. The Arch Canyon Race was somewhat unique when compared to the other Podraces that took place on Tatooine, it was longer and more treacherous than many of the other courses. Thus, it had been determined by the race officials that this particular race only required two laps rather than the traditional three. After Metta Drop, it was mostly just a high-speed sprint to the finish line…and Anakin was currently in first place!_

_Recovering from his surprise too late, Sebulba tried to quickly close the distance between them. But Anakin had already gotten too much of a head start and the distance was closing too slowly in the remaining leg of the race. As they neared the finish line, Anakin could feel the guiding force in him, lending him a sense of serenity as he became completely in tune with his surroundings again. He __**knew**__ where Sebulba was. He __**knew**__ that the Dug was planning to open one of his engines' side vents to blast Anakin with the superheated exhaust and fire. He __**knew**__ that as long as he kept his Pod directly in front of Sebulba, between the loud, beating engines, that there was no way that was going to happen. He __**knew**__ that Sebulba was also hoping to hit Anakin with his energy binders, which would most assuredly incapacitate, injure, and even likely kill the young human slave._

_But with the guiding force, soft whisperings of advice in his ear, a faint touch on his hands to help him adjust and avoid, Anakin evaded Sebulba all the way to the finish line. Despite Anakin's state of hyper-awareness, he scarcely realized he'd crossed the line safely before Sebulba's Podracer suddenly slowed to a halt as the Dug began ranting and raving foully in Huttese._

_Quickly easing off his own thrusters and bringing the Pod to stop, Anakin stood up in the seat and was suddenly awash in the thunderous roars, cheers, and applause of the audience. Looking about, Anakin spotted his mother (among other people) running towards him. There was a look of surprise, weary happiness, and motherly pride upon her face as she finally reached him and pulled him into a hug._

_Though he didn't know it, Anakin was widely considered the underdog of Tatooine Podracing because he was the only known human capable of it. The fact that he had never before won a race only worsened his standing in the betting rings. Thus, his win here had upset many of the gamblers who were hurriedly trying to collect or calculate their winnings, losses, and debts. Among those who lost was one very irritate Watto, who always betted heavily upon Sebulba._

_Unnoticed by anyone, one particular Zabrak was smiling darkly. His bet on the underdog had just proven quite beneficial. Perhaps it was time to add to his collection?_

-End of Dream-

**32 BBY  
Ryloth, Outer Rim**

An annoying tapping on his head prodded Anakin awake. Swatting irritably at the nuisance, the 9-nine-year boy let out a groan as he heard a girlish giggle coming from the culprit. "Wakie, wakie, Skyguy!"

"Go away, Snips," Anakin groaned out, rolling his head to the side as he cracked an eye open to glare weakly at the youngling. "Today's my day off. Captain said so. Let me sleep in for once."

"No!" the little Togrutan chirped happily, ecstatic at _finally_ being able to wake up Anakin instead of the other way around. "Captain says you have to get up now!"

Seeing that he wasn't moving, the youngling grabbed ahold of his blanket and pulled it off the bed. Anakin flinched at the loss of his warm blanket before finally sitting up and stretching his arms and back. Looking back at the little Togrutan girl, he saw her still grinning widely at him in an almost innocent manner as she watched him expectantly.

They were in his personal quarters onboard the heavy freighter they were crewmen of. Although the two of them were far too young to be considered active members, the fact that they basically worked for free was what allowed them safe haven onboard. As long as Anakin could help repair the rusty old freighter, he and his friend could stay as long as they wanted, that was their agreement with the captain.

"Alright, alright, I'm up," Anakin said as he swung his feet off the side of his bed and looked at the girl. He was dressed in a rather simple white hand-me-down shirt and some dark brown pants. His hair was still a sandy brown color, but slightly longer since it'd been a few months since he'd gotten it cut. "What did you want so badly that you had to wake me up so early in the morning, Ahsoka?"

"It's my birthday!" Ahsoka pointed out, somewhat loudly as her grin was replaced with a cute frown. She was dressed in her usual day clothes already, a green shirt that was a little too large for her small frame and some third-rate pants that were stained and torn in places. "You said you'd teach me the magic force on my birthday!"

His memory returning as his dreams faded and consciousness quickly awakened, Anakin blinked before turning and smiling at his young friend. He did indeed promise to teach Ahsoka what he knew of the Force when she turned 4-years-old. After all, her Force sensitivity had been what had drawn him to her. More than a year ago, he had been bought from Watto by a cruel Zabrak who used him to race and gamble in Podracing. But the Zabrak was much crueler and abusive than Watto had ever been at his worst. Enough so that Anakin had actually lashed out in anger and hate. It was during that incident that he realized he could consciously control that guiding force he'd sometimes felt. Killing his master, Anakin had his tracking chip and its explosive surgically removed, and had quickly gone into hiding on Nar Shadaa in case any of the Zabrak's kin or associates desire vengeance. Thankfully, no one seemed to mind the Zabrak's death or disappearance and Anakin was finally free.

He had managed to get himself hired aboard a cargo freighter as an assistant mechanic and helper. The freighter was named the _Early Harvest_, a Corellian Corporation Action IV heavy transport. While visiting her homeworld of Shili on a routine delivery mission, Anakin had sensed little Ahsoka's presence and had found the little youngling. Getting the _Early Harvest_'s Captain to accept her as a new and aspiring crew member had been difficult, but he suspected that the man had allowed her aboard as a means of giving Anakin someone closer to his age to play and associate with.

Continuing to smile, Anakin gently held out his hand and helped pull Ahsoka up onto his bed. The little Togrutan sat cross-legged across from him on his mattress as he arranged his thoughts. Finally finding a good place to begin, Anakin returned his attention to his young friend. "Ahsoka, do you remember what it felt like to go swimming in that Alderaanian lake, surrounded by the warm, calm water that was soothing and beautiful?"

Ahsoka blinked, tilting her head to the side slightly as she recalled that memory. It had happened about a month ago when they stopped on Alderaan. Captain Alder Havoc had given the pair of them some free time after landing and the unloading procedures were complete. As Anakin had been trying to learn how to swim and Ahsoka was practically attached to him at the hip, they had gone to a nearby park and frolicked in the lake there. It was one of the better memories that Ahsoka had and she cherished it.

Nodding her head in affirmation to the memory, she asked, "Is that what the magic feels like when you use it, Anakin?"

"Kinda," Anakin nodded. "But it's being under the water that I want you to picture and that the Force is the water. It surrounds and envelopes you, making you feel safe and helping you. It comes from everywhere, from you and all other living beings."

"I…don't understand," Ahsoka said uneasily and a little disappointed. She knew that her friend and big brother figure was simplifying it for her to understand, which she kind of did. But she just didn't _understand_.

Anakin just frowned a little. He'd been putting a lot of thought into how he'd describe the Force to someone as young and innocent as Ahsoka, so he was more than a little disappointed that she didn't immediately understand what he was trying to say. Maybe she needed a demonstration…? Smiling largely as the new idea came to him, Anakin reached out his hand and set it gently on the 4-year-old Togrutan's headcrest.

"Here, I'll show you." Closing his eyes, he concentrated on connecting to the Force. After almost a year of practice, he had almost gotten the hang of consciously attuning himself to the Force. It just took a few minutes to make the connection. Of course, it was much easier when he was in a calm, quiet setting like his quarters here.

Feeling the now familiar caress of power wash over him as he submerged himself in it, Anakin concentrated on the bright blimp of excitement, anxious confusion, and childish curiosity that was Ahsoka. Just as he was physically touching her head with his hand, he reached out with the Force to touch and caress her. He felt her flinch in surprise, confusion, and a slight amount of fear. But thanks to his nonthreatening presence and the continued gentle caress on her Force senses, she slowly eased out of her fear and confusion and began to quickly but cautiously open up to him. Before long, she had been fully drawn in and he shared in her absolute awe of the strange but wonderful sensation.

After a few minutes, Anakin withdrew and helped guide Ahsoka back out of the Force. Opening his eyes, Anakin watched with a slight grin at Ahsoka's astonished expression. "So, what did you think?"

"That was…the Force?!" Ahsoka cried out, excitement written all over her face as she jumped to her feet, bouncing slightly on Anakin's bed. "That was incredible! More! I wanna do it some more!"

Laughing, Anakin grabbed the little Togrutan and pulled her back down into a seated position. "Calm down, Ahsoka. It's harder to get connected with the Force when you're all hyper like that." He could tell she was trying, but it was a lost cause. She was too far gone to calm down just yet.

* * *

**Jedi Temple, Coruscant**

He sat in one of the meditation chambers, feeling and relishing in the Force. He could feel it stirring, waving, ever-moving like the flow of river. It had places of violent turmoil and rising tides, and also places of calmness and soothing. He could sense the power of the Force, a great life-form that the entire galaxy was a part of. Much of the Force was like a maelstrom of light as it flowed, where the Jedi were like great beacons in the tides.

Yet not all was right in the Force. He could sense it somehow… A great shadow of immense ferocious power was out there, lurking, watching and waiting. He was trying to sense out the location of this shade in the Force, but it was as elusive as smoke in a vacuum. Malevolent but patient, it would and could wait until he'd given up his search and it was ready to strike.

Letting a silent sigh of resignation, he admitted defeat. His power in the Force was still relative small and untested, his experience lacking. Thus he quietly accepted that he'd not be finding that shade any time soon.

It was then, as he was starting to withdraw from the Force, that he sensed something else. Like a ripple in a calm lake, a faint wave of power washed through the Force. Turning his attention to the strange phenomenon, he reached out to it, to locate and possibly contact it. It wasn't very close to him, somewhere out in the… Outer Rim…

No, it wasn't just one. There were two of them. He could only sense the second one because he was concentrating so heavily upon reaching them. As he drew nearer, he felt something…_odd_ about them. They were young, he could feel it in their exuberant energies; wild and untamed power that were only just being discovered. Who were they? And what was going on? Why hadn't any Jedi discovered them sooner if they could create so much of a disturbance in the Force?

Finally withdrawing from the Force, Padawan Obi-wan Kenobi climbed to his feet and left the meditation chamber. He needed to speak with his master or maybe Master Yoda about what he'd sensed and what impact these newcomers could have.

* * *

**Ryloth, Outer Rim**

Captain Alder Havoc watched the Holonet news with a frown. The Trade Federation had just placed a blockade around the planet of Naboo. Havoc wasn't a politician and he didn't bother himself with the Republic's bureaucracy. Yet even he didn't understand why the Federation was doing such a ridiculous thing as blockading an entire planet over some dumb dispute in the Senate. It seemed little too extreme for those cowardly Neimoidian types to even conceive of doing.

Still, Havoc was a businessman. He went where he sensed there was opportunity for massive profit. That generally pertained to transporting purchased spices, weapons, and other illegal 'items' for the Hutts and other black market dealers. Though, he did also regularly take Republic jobs in an effort to keep a shade of legitimacy to his work. And now he could already see a new opportunity for him in the form of this blockade. It would be very, _very_ dangerous, but the profits of succeeding in such a venture were potentially much higher in comparison.

Getting to his feet as he shut off the Holonet, he picked up his comlink and flicked it on. "Jarvis, contact the crew and get them back here. We just got a big-time job opportunity. Tell them this particular job is voluntary since the risks are going to be very high. I'll explain the details in two hours, when everyone's in the cargo bay."

"Roger that, sir!" Jarvis answered immediately.

Alder just smiled lightly as he turned and grabbed a datapad to begin making a list of supplies that the people of Naboo would likely need.

* * *

**Three hours later…  
Hyperspace, en route to Naboo**

Focusing upon the incredible feeling that she had only just consciously noticed, Ahsoka reached out with her mind and hands. Grasping the crate that she could see and sense, she willed it to move, to rise, to float. Raising her hands to mirror her desire, Ahsoka let out a loud gasp of delighted surprise when she saw the crate respond to her commands. Her concentration faltered and vanished at the sight of the magic she was performing and the crate crashed back to the deck of the cargo bay.

"Good job, Ahsoka," Anakin said from behind her, smiling at her for her accomplishment. "You're pretty good at this. It took me almost three days just to move it! And look at you, already lifting it like a feather." That was mostly true. It did take him three days to _consciously_ move it out, but when he did, he sent it bouncing all across the cargo bay.

Ahsoka just laughed out. "I'm awesome! Awesome! Awesome!"

Shaking his head at her squealing, Anakin couldn't really yell at her. He'd been much the same, reveling in his seemingly incredible power. As he remembered that time, another thought occurred to him. '_Yes, now that she's got control, I probably should tell her it_.' "Ahsoka, listen up."

Turning to Anakin, Ahsoka's wide smile faded slightly when she saw the serious look on his face. "What's wrong, Ani?"

"I have something I need to tell you," Anakin said, gazing straight into her eyes for her understand the seriousness of the situation. "This is something my mother taught me and it's something very important that I want to you mesmerize and one day understand."

"What is it?"

"It's an ancient Force Philosophy," he said. "It was something that the very first Jedi created and it was something that they dedicated their lives to. Listen and learn. '_There is no ignorance; there is knowledge. There is no fear; there is power. I am the heart of the Force. I am the revealing light of fire. I am the mystery of darkness. In balance with chaos and harmony; immortal in the Force._"

Ahsoka slowly repeated the strange saying, trying to imprint it in her memory. "What does it mean?"

Holding out his arms to the sides as though he were trying to balance on a tightrope, he said, "It means to find balance, Ahsoka. Between good and evil—" he swayed his arms slightly to demonstrate the need for perfect balance. "—light and dark, right and wrong. You cannot be one without the other. If I were to use one side too much," he lowered one of his arms dramatically, and almost fell over a result, causing Ahsoka to giggle slightly at his silly posture. "I throw myself out of balance and I could hurt myself and lot of other people I care about. Do you understand?"

Nodding slightly, Ahsoka quirked an eyebrow as she asked. "But why can't I just use my powers for good only? Why do I have to be evil too? Evil's bad!"

"Yes, it is," Anakin agreed easily, once again regaining his balancing posture. "But there is nothing that is truly pure in this galaxy, Snips. Too much evil is bad, but too much good is also bad. If there were only heroes in the galaxy, who would force them to grow strong and brave if there were no bad guys to fight? If there were only villains, who would save the damsels in distress and save the day?"

Ahsoka blinked as she tried to understand his reasoning while staring at his balancing posture. "So, no matter how bad it is, one cannot be without the other?"

"Exactly," Anakin answered as he finally relaxed out of his balance. "But the hard part is finding that balance within ourselves. Like right now, you are very unbalanced. You're leaning much closer to the light than the darkness."

"Really? How can you tell?"

"I can just tell," he said, smiling slightly. "But that's okay for now. Balance comes after a long, long time of training and growing up. You'll understand better someday."

Ahsoka nodded with a solemn expression before she lit up again. "And when I do, I'm gonna be the best in the galaxy! Even better than _you_, Skyguy!" Anakin just grinned in response.

* * *

(**Author's Note**) I've really got to stop doing this: starting a new story when I'm already busy writing several others. Nonetheless, I just felt the drive to start this one. For those of you who actually follow it, this story is derived of my _'Anakin's Creed'_ challenge in my Archive Rejects story. I decided to write my own version of it since I've recently rediscovered my love of Star Wars.

Also, I've got a bit of trivia for you. I used something from one of my earlier stories in this: a name. I wonder just how many of you can/will find the name and which story of mine I took it from.

That aside, I hope you all enjoy this story and that I can write it as I see it.


	2. The Blockade of Naboo

**Star Wars: Episode 1—A Retelling  
**The Phantom Menace  
By: Tellemicus Sundance  
_#02: The Blockade of Naboo_

**Orbit above Naboo  
Trade Federation Droid Control Ship, **_**Vuutun Palaa**_

Viceroy Nute Gunray was enjoying a rather exquisite meal in his personal quarters aboard his flagship. Despite his initial fear and reluctance, Gunray had to admit that his Sith master and 'adviser' was once again managed to formulate a very profitable scheme for the Federation. The amount of profit that they'd made on the black market by selling the stole merchandise and goods that were meant for or from Naboo was as surprising as it was considerable.

The blockade had only been in effect for about a month. Since then, his battleships had commandeered almost 200 freighters, 150 transports, redirected numerous tourists, and even shot down several dozen ships that were either too stubborn to otherwise uncatchable. Most of those numbers had occurred within the first week, before the news of the blockade really started to spread to the rest of the galaxy. After that, things started to taper off until only an occasional smuggler or freighter ship would try to run the blockade, believing that the commanders had been lulled into a sense of complacency.

As he was taking a drink from a rather smooth Coruscanti wine, a holo-image of a cloaked man suddenly sprang to life at the opposite end of the table. The image startled Gunray, causing him to choke slightly on his drink. Clearing his throat quickly as he jumped to his feet, Gunray hurried over towards the hologram. "My lord, I wasn't expecting a call today. How may I be of service?"

Lord Sidious frowned, hissing faintly in disgust at the Neimoidian before him. "_I have just been informed that the Supreme Chancellor has sent some diplomatic envoys to force a settlement. Be ready to greet them **warmly.** There's a chance we may have to **accelerate **our plans_."

"Y-Yes, my Lord," Gunray stammered fearfully as he bowed slightly. His newfound faith in his master due to the quick wealth his federation had been making in recent times was suddenly shaken yet again. What his master was alluding to was treasonous to the Republic and could very well end badly for him if it didn't succeed, the Viceroy's powerful allies notwithstanding.

Just as Gunray was about to ask a question, he felt slight tremors through the floor of his quarters. Turning to look around in nervous curiosity, Gunray hit his comlink as he demanded, "What's going on?"

"_We have another freighter trying to run the blockade, sir_," the attendant answered dutifully. "_But this one's proving to be difficult to capture or shoot down_."

"Why haven't our fighters destroyed it yet?" Gunray demanded, flinching fearfully when he saw that Lord Sidious was scowling quite visibly in displeasure at being ignored. "I want that ship _shot down __**now**__!_"

"_Yes sir!_"

"_Having troubles, Viceroy?_" Sidious asked in an almost casual tone that seemed even more dangerous than his angry one.

"Some pilots are a bit more skilled that others, my Lord," Gunray stated in a carefully controlled voice. "It sometimes takes a little time for my men and fighters to catch them."

Sidious's frown was even more prominent that before. Without another word, his image faded as the hologram connection was severed. Nute Gunray couldn't restrain the sigh of relief at the man's disappearance. Truly, that man was going to be the death him one day, Gunray was sure of it. Turning back to his meal, he frowned in annoyance and slight anger when he saw that his food had gotten cool at some point during the conversation.

* * *

**Approaching the Blockade  
**_**Early Harvest**_

Like a ring of asteroids, the massive circular battleships hung around the blue and green planet of Naboo. The ships were far larger than any Anakin had yet seen before. Even from the distance, he could spot the armaments that bristled from every port and bay. Trade Federation droid fighters circled the big beasts like gnats. The _Early Harvest_ was a large ship by the standards of the civilian market. But by comparison to the titans ahead of it, it was little more than a fragile tin toy.

The overwhelming firepower and the malicious intent that he could feel in the Force quickly set the young Force sensitive on edge. Anakin was seated in the lounge of the _Early Harvest_ with Ahsoka. Since they weren't pilots and too young to help on the bridge during flight, they often found themselves either playing in the lounge or in their respective quarters during hyperspace jumps.

"Anakin, I'm scared," Ahsoka whispered fearfully as she cuddled up next to him for comfort. She had also subconsciously detected impending danger and nervous energy that was approaching them rapidly.

"Yeah, me too," he admitted quietly, not taking his eyes off the hologram that was displaying the current situation ahead of them. "But remember, Ahsoka, fear is not evil."

"I don't think this is the time for wise words," Ahsoka pointed out dully.

Chuckling embarrassedly, Anakin nodded as he climbed to his feet, "You're right. Come on, Ahsoka. Let's go see if Captain Havoc needs us for something."

It was a short walk from the lounge to the bridge since they both located on the bracing arm atop the entire ship. Opening the bridge door, Anakin peeked in to be sure he wasn't interrupting Captain Havoc unnecessarily or at a bad time. Thankfully, the only other one on the bridge was Havoc's copilot droid 'Jarvis'. Not that that was surprising since only Jarvis and the two of them had volunteered to accompany Havoc on this 'suicide mission' as Hector the mechanic described it.

"Hello, Master Anakin," the silver droid greeted, turning its head towards the two children upon noticing their entrance.

"Good timing, kids," Havoc said without turning to face them as he piloted the ship towards the blockade. "Skywalker, take Ahsoka to the starboard turret and show her how to work it. After that, you man the port turret."

"Are you expecting trouble?" Anakin asked wearily. While he loved flying and the danger of combat, he didn't have a good feeling about it this time.

"There's always a chance that something'll go wrong," Havoc said as he began typing something into one of the consoles. "Get to it, Anakin. Chop-chop! We're nearing the blockade's firing range."

Just as he'd finished speaking, an alarm beeped as the computer detected an incoming transmission. Anakin pulled Ahsoka away from the bridge and guided her towards the laser cannon turret that Havoc had instructed him. As the kids were leaving, Havoc was busy communicating with the blockade.

"_Identify yourself, your ship, and your business here_," came the mechanical voice of a droid. Just from the voice alone, Havoc grinned triumphantly. That somewhat slow, drawling voice told him that he was dealing with a low-level AI. Sneaking past them would be _incredibly_ easy, especially with the passcodes that he'd purchased from one of his correspondents back on Ryloth.

"This is Captain Alder Havoc of the supply freighter, _Early Harvest_," Havoc answered quickly and calmly. "Requesting docking authorization aboard the Trade Federation battleship, the _Gol'den Scepr_."

"_**Early Harvest**, transmit passcodes and await clearance,_" the droid stated dully.

"Transmitting now," Havoc replied as the preloaded data were beamed to the battleship. Now, the true moment of faith had arrived and he and Jarvis waited in tense silence.

* * *

After showing Ahsoka the ropes of how to control, aim, and fire the laser cannon (which were of incredibly simple designs), Anakin was making his way to the other turret of the ship. But just as he was about to enter the turret and climb into the chair, a sudden wave of unease washed over him. Stepping back out into the hallway, he glanced down both towards the bridge and then to the crew quarters.

He could feel it. The Force was communicating with him again. He could feel so many twisted and churning emotions and plots unfolding all around him. There was greed and fear thick in the Force. Something was brewing, trouble was approaching, and Anakin's unease quickly grew.

Giving in to the Force's call, Anakin turned and hurried back into the crew quarters. He made a quick stop into his quarters and pulled out a box that was hidden under his mattress. Opening it, he withdrew two narrow objects and clipped them onto his belt. Once that was done, he suddenly felt his sense of unease lessen considerably. It was still there, but he just felt…better about his situation. At least whatever happened now, he wouldn't be defenseless.

"Skywalker!" a loud voice yelled from down the hall. Poking his head out of his quarters, Anakin spotted Hector approaching from down the hall with a glare on his face. "What's going on? Where are we?"

"Hector? What are you doing here?" Anakin asked, slightly returning the man's glare with his own. He didn't like Hector one bit. The man was a boisterous and arrogant drunk who's loud mouth and self-righteous opinions greatly exceeded his actual worth as a mechanic. Anakin far surpassed the man's mechanical skills and was in good graces with Captain Havoc as a result. Were he a few years older, Anakin could've easily replaced Hector, something that both of them knew. "I thought you were staying on Ryloth while we took the Naboo run?"

"I was gonna but I—I—I got sidetracked!" the man stuttered lamely. He was staggering in his walk, wincing and covering his eyes slightly whenever he approached or passed a light, and he was gently messaging his temples from a massive migraine he was having. Not to mention the disgusting stink of alcoholic beverages on his breath that Anakin quickly caught the scent of as the man neared him. In short, he was recovering from a massive hangover.

"Let me guess," the young Skywalker said somewhat angrily as he realized the obvious. "You noticed that the captain was bringing along a few crates of beer and medical spices, decided to 'sample' a few—_again_, and passed out in the cargo bay until just now."

"Shut it, boy!" Hector snapped loudly before wincing and rubbing his head even harder to ease his pain. "What's going on? Where are we?"

"We're approaching the blockade," Anakin answered, taking a spiteful delight in watching the man's expression change from confusion and lack of understanding to sudden clarity and overwhelming fear. "If all goes well, we'll be on Naboo in a few minutes. I'd suggest waiting in the lounge until we've landed."

"Sithspit!" Hector cried, turning and bumbling to the nearest viewport, spotting the ring of warships quickly. "No! I didn't sign on for this!"

Ignoring the man, Anakin turned and ran back to his laser cannon turret, buckling the belt and activating the weapon system in preparation. These next few minutes were going to be very tense. Activating the comm unit, Anakin called out, "Ahsoka, you still there?"

"_Where else would I be, Skyguy?_" the little Togrutan asked in reply. "_What kept you? We're almost to the ship!_"

"I got distracted," he said, eyeing the bulk of the massive warship. "It seems we have a stow away named 'Hector' onboard."

"_Oh nooo_," Ahsoka groaned.

* * *

**"**_**Early Harvest**_**,"** the droid voice suddenly spoke up, startling Havoc slightly. "You are cleared for docking aboard the_ **Gol'den Scepr****.** Proceed on your present course_."

"Roger, roger," Havoc replied, grinning triumphantly as he closed down the comm. channel.

"What incredibly stupid droids," Jarvis stated bluntly. "I still do not understand why the Neimoidians insist on using such simple things."

"It's their ego, Jarvis," Havoc answered as he boosted the _Early Harvest_'s engines, quickly picking up speed as he aimed towards the battleship that was directly ahead of the freighter. "They can't bear to have their servant droids being smarter than them. So, by programming them to be so inferior, it helps to put the Neimoidians at ease knowing that they're the smartest beings in the room. Plus, _stupid_ droids are way cheaper than _smart_ ones."

"But this is just _too_ stupid," Jarvis insisted, trying to convey it's angry annoyance through its words and body posture. "Any droid worth its weight in circuitry should've noticed that our ship was not on the schedule, despite having 'authentic' passcodes."

"Like I said," Havoc said, though his attention was clearly no longer on the conversation since the _Early_ _Harvest_ was pulling up near the Trade Federation battleship. Opening the comlink to his two young gunners, Havoc said, "Skywalker, Tano, watch those cannons on the ships. If they start to move towards us, tell me. It means that they're onto us and we're in big trouble."

"_Yes, sir_," they both answered, anxiety thick in their voices as they truly started to grasp the danger they were in.

* * *

**Trade Federation Droid Control Ship, **_**Vuutun Palaa**_

He was the Viceroy of a mighty megacorporation that spanned the entire width and berth of the galaxy. He had thousands of ambitious underlings, billions in revenue, and even made regular visits to the Galactic Republic's Senate. Thus, even as he was personally overseeing the blockade of Naboo on Lord Sidious's command, he still had many tens of thousands of things that regularly needed his attention to regulate and administer. The office and job of Viceroy was a very highly demanding one. One that many previous Viceroys couldn't leave quickly enough, despite the tremendous wealth they acquired. With that being the case, he had instantly decided to relegate the day by day operations to the central computer of the _Vuutun Palaa_.

Gunray was in the midst of processing the newest policy he was planning on inducting into the Federation about setting up small fees upon certain space depots, refueling stations, and business cruisers. By instating small fees, generally only 5% of the cost of the purchase, his Federation could make untold millions of untaxed profit that the Republic could do nothing to regulate, or even notice in most cases.

The Trade Federation was not a government, thus they could not tax. But they could legally impose a 'fee' for any non-Trade Federation vessel that tries to do business at Trade Federation-owned space depots, refueling stations, and business cruisers. Also the Neimodian government was also imposing on their own worlds a tariff on any non-Trade Federation exports/imports. This practically forced anyone wanting to do business with these planets to weigh whether they want to pay the fee or simply hire the Trade Federation.

As he was doing this, a small alert notice popped up on his screen from the central computer. Sighing in annoyance, he opened the alert and read its contents. A supply ship named the _Early Harvest_ was approaching the _Gol'den Scepr_. It bore none of the identification colorings or markings of a Trade Federation ship yet it had the proper the security codes to enter the blockade unopposed.

Humming quietly to himself at this puzzle, Nute called up the schedule for supply ships that were set to arrive within the next week. A quick scan of the listed freighters and their captains appeared and after a few moments of searching, he realized the obvious. That freighter was no supply ship for the Trade Federation. It was trying to bypass the blockade by using clearly stolen passcodes!

Opening a channel to the bridge, Gunray glared as he spotted his captain, Daultay Dofine, answer the call. "Yes, sir?"

"_Why_ has it come to my attention that an _unscheduled_ supply ship is clearly trying to _bypass the blockade_ with _stolen passcodes?_" Gunray demanded, uncharacteristically hotly. As much as the Federation saved money on their cheap droids and their faulty AIs, they were more often than not a burden that he dearly wished himself to be rid of.

"Sir?" Dofine asked, unsure of what his senior was speaking of.

"There is a freighter trying to pass the blockade!" Nute yelled. "I want it captured and its crew interrogated! Where did they get those passcodes from?!"

"Y-Yes, sir!" Dofine responded as he quickly turned to do Gunray's bidding.

* * *

_**Early Harvest**_

The _Early Harvest_ had actually passed the majority of the bulk of the warship and was well on its way to pushing past when things finally started going south in a hurry.

"Captain!" Anakin yelled into the comlink as he saw the turbolaser turrets suddenly swerve towards the freighter.

Reacting immediately to the boy's shout, the _Early Harvest_ dove sharply, cleanly dodging the otherwise surprise attack. Anakin felt himself sway ever so slightly as the engines boosted to full power and the ship leapt forward in a surge of speed. He was sure that the deflector shields had been quickly brought online as well. Not that the shields would be of much help since they'd only be able to safely withstand three warship-class turbolaser hits. Still, some protection was better than none.

Swinging his turret around, Anakin quickly opened fire on the warship, aiming for the turbolaser turrets. His shots dissipated harmlessly off the warship's much stronger deflector shield. An unexpected roll of the freighter caught Anakin by surprise and sent him spinning disoriented. The roll was quickly followed by the ship beginning to shake and rock violently, almost throwing Anakin out of his seat if he hadn't buckled himself into the harness. Fear and confusion quickly washed over him, causing him to subconsciously open up to the Force. When he submerged himself into it, he found a sudden clarity of the situation around him.

Havoc was throwing the _Early Harvest_ into a chaotic dance of dodges, rolls, and dives. He was trying not to use the same maneuvering combination twice, lest he became predictable. But as superbly as he was trying to fly his large freighter as a starfighter, the sheer bulk of the _Early Harvest_ was working against him. The powerful turbolasers had easily punched through the shields and were not pummeling the ship itself. And while the armor of the _Early Harvest_ was respectively thick and strong, it wouldn't stand up much longer.

Then he felt the ship jolt as its forward momentum was suddenly halted. He could feel the engines still straining at their full power but the _Early Harvest_ was being pulled back towards the warship.

"_They've got us in a tractor beam!_" Havoc informed them over the comm. It was clear from his voice that he had already resigned himself to failure. Breaking free of a tractor beam was a very difficult feat in the best of cases. And the stronger the beam was, the greater the difficulty became. For a ship the size of the Trade Federation's and with its powerful shields, it was nearly impossible.

"Captain, I'm gonna try something!" Anakin said, turning his turret so that he could more clearly see the tractor beam projectors. "Be ready when we break free!"

There was a moment of pause over the comm. Anakin could sense the man's surprise and uncertainty before he finally settled for reluctant acceptance. "_Whatever you're gonna do, do it quickly, Skywalker._"

"Yes sir!" Closing his eyes, Anakin cast his mind out and searched for the target he wanted. Following the energy projections that were pulling the freighter towards them, he soon discovered them housed in the bulging masses atop the hangar openings. Reaching out with his hands, he symbolically grasped ahold of both projectors in the Force.

Clutching his hands into fists, he tried to crush the entire array but…it was harder than he expected. Squeezing his fists harder, Anakin exerted all his willpower into his task. '_I can do this! I have to! I __**must!**__ I __**will!**_' he chanted to himself. But despite his best efforts, he couldn't…dent it!

That was when he felt an unexpected presence join him. Ahsoka's Force presence descended upon his, watching, examining, and then quickly understanding. Before he even could say a word, he felt her add her own power to his struggles, trying to crush the metallic projectors. '_We can do it!_' her presence seemed to say to him, singing with the complete confidence of an innocent child.

Smiling to himself, Anakin refocused his attention on the projector. '_There is no ignorance, there is knowledge._' With Ahsoka's added power, which truthfully wasn't that much at the moment, he felt his own confidence begin to return. '_There is no fear, there is power_.' And, as his faith in his own power began to rise again, the 'impossible deed' that he'd unconsciously labeled it as suddenly didn't feel nearly as difficult as it had been. '_I am the heart of the Force!_' After only a moment, the two metallic bulges on the warship's hull began to dent, break, and finally imploded upon themselves.

Following the implosions of the tractor beam emitters, the captured freighter suddenly leapt forward, free once again. Watching with a sigh, Anakin smiled to himself. '_Thanks for the help, Ahsoka._' He could _feel_ her smile in satisfaction.

Caught by surprise that their tractor beam had been destroyed inexplicably, none of the Neimoidian crew were able to adequately open fire or catch the freighter within another tractor beam in time. Unopposed for the brief instant, the _Early Harvest_ managed to bypass the blockade itself; the first ship to actually make it thus far.

* * *

**Trade Federation Droid Control Ship, **_**Vuutun Palaa**_

"What is going on out there?!" Nute Gunray demanded as he strode upon the bridge. Walking up to a holo-map of the situation they were dealing with, he quickly got the gist of it. "Why hasn't the freighter been disabled and captured yet?!"

"The pilot is very skilled," Rune Haako answered quickly. "Able to evade our attacks at his engines and his hull armor must be thicker and stronger than we initially believed."

"What happened to the tractor beam?" Nute asked, curiously. Last he'd heard before he left his office to journey to the bridge, the _Gol'den Scepr_ had caught the freighter in her tractor beams. "Why haven't they been brought aboard yet?"

"The tractor beam projectors were destroyed," Rune said, looking and sounding very serious. "We don't know how, but the freighter must've done something to disable or damage them. But they're presently out of our range for tractor beams anymore anyway."

"Send our Vulture droid-fighters," Nute ordered, glaring at the glowing icon that represented the freighter. "Order them to destroy the ship and all escape pods that jettison." That order caused Rune to glance at his superior in slight surprise and uncertainty. It was an unspoken law to not destroy escape pods during times of peace, one that had saved many lives over the centuries. "I don't want the Naboo to start getting any ideas or to let the galaxy think we're starting to slack off on our blockade. Plus, it'll be far easier to destroy the freighter while it's still in flight than after it's landed and delivered its load. No survivors will show the galaxy just how _serious_ we are about this!"

"Yes, sir," Rune responded, bowing his head slightly in acknowledgment though it was obvious in his posture and voice that he still didn't approve of the reasoning or the order.

* * *

**Upper Atmosphere, Naboo  
**_**Early Harvest**_

Of the many thousands of droid fighters that were patrolling the airspace around the blockade, only a handful received new orders. These group of six fighters swooped down upon the descending freighter like scavengers upon a kill, their laser cannons blazing furiously. The onslaught of laser fire easily breached the weakened shields of the _Early Harvest_ and started pounding upon the armor itself.

In his turret, Anakin was jinking, swaying, turning, and swerving to the full extent of movement he could afford in the gun turret. He was trying to use the targeting computer, but the damned thing was of an outdated and flawed design. He found his lasers trailing behind his targets pitifully. '_These were meant to shoot at slow-moving capital ships and cruisers, not starfighters_,' Anakin realized.

"_Skyguy!_" Ahsoka called over the comm. "_I can't hit anything! These guns suck!_"

"It's the targeting computers, Snips," Anakin answered, somewhat hotly himself given his inability to hit anything. "Use the Force! Let it help you!"

Following his own advice, he immersed himself in it, letting it play over and through his body, whispering to him as it gently guided his shot. Tracking one approaching Vulture, he grinned triumphantly as he finally hit it. One shot hit it in its portside wing, sending it spinning haphazardly to the side, right into another of his shots, blowing out its power core and destroying it. Anakin let out a shout of smug triumph at the shot. A moment later, an answering call over the comm. alerted Anakin to Ahsoka's success as well.

However, mere seconds later, the entire freighter shook violently as an explosion echoed down its corridors and through its walls. In the Force, Anakin could feel the life force of Captain Havoc suddenly wink out of existence. "What happened?! Ahsoka, did you see what hit us?!"

"_It—It—It hit the bridge!_" Ahsoka said, he could hear fear, embarrassment, and deeply apologetic undertones in her voice. "_I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Captain!_"

"What happened, Ahsoka?!" Anakin yelled over her sniffling, he could tell she was well on her way to breaking out crying. "Calm down and talk to me, Ahsoka!"

"…_I hit the fighter, but it hit the bridge before it blew up!_" Ahsoka answered.

The bridge was destroyed. That meant the _Early Harvest_ was no longer flying, it was falling! And if the bridge was destroyed, there was no way Anakin could safely pilot it during reentry, not without getting incinerated from the atmospheric friction. They needed to escape!

"Ahsoka!" he called out. "Meet me at the forward escape pod! We're abandoning ship!"

"O-Okay!" she stuttered in reply. Not that Anakin heard since he was already in the process of unstrapping himself from the seat.

Out in the hall, he bumped into Hector. "What's going on?!" the man yelled, which Anakin ignored as he hurried over to Ahsoka's turret to find her scrambling out of her seat. Helping pull her out of the turret, Anakin was unprepared when the ship suddenly shook once again as another explosion rocked it.

"WHAT'S GOING ON?!" Hector yelled, clinging to the bulkhead, having somewhat remained on his feet as the two younglings were thrown to the floor. The lights went out for a moment before returning, glowing an eerie red.

"The Captain's dead and the bridge is gone!" Anakin yelled as he pulled himself to his feet. As he did so, he noticed the distinctive red-tint of the lights. "The fighters must've hit the main reactor. We're on emergency power now!"

"Gah, that's it!" Hector yelled in panic as he turned and ran down the hall towards the escape pod. "I'm out of this falling coffin!"

"Hey, wait!" Anakin yelled, trying to stop the man. He was busy trying to pull Ahsoka back up to her feet, but the poor girl was crouched in a ball on the floor, shivering and trembling uncontrollably as her fear overwhelmed her. "Help us! Hector!"

"Every man for _himself_, _little man!_" Hector barked contemptuously as he slipped through the access way and sealed himself into the pod. Picking Ahsoka bodily off the floor, Anakin slung her over his shoulder and ran down the hall to try and stop Hector from leaving without them. Not that it would've helped him anyway.

A moment after he managed to reach the airlock, the pod had been fully powered up and ejected. With a glare, Anakin watched as the lifeboat detached and flew away. But he glare quickly disappeared into a gasp of horrified realization as he watched two of the circling Vulture droids suddenly veer off and pursue the pod, cannons blazing. The pod was destroyed almost instantly.

'_They're even shooting down escape pods_,' Anakin realized. '_They must be __**really**__ mad if they're going that far! …It's not safe to eject. But it's not safe to stay here without a __**bridge**__ or __**power! **__**What**__ do we __**do?!**__'_

* * *

**Theed, Naboo  
Royal Palace**

"Your Majesty!" Captain Panaka called as he marched hurriedly into the throne room. He was the head of security of the Queen's Palace, a powerfully built man with quick eyes that revealed his considerable intelligence within them. And right now his usually cool stone face was contorted with unease and anger. "There's a situation!"

"What is it, Captain?" Padme asked calmly from where she stood by one of the palace windows, peering out over the city of Theed.

"There's an incoming supply ship," Panaka said hurriedly. "It was trying to run the blockade. It mostly got through, but it's being pursued by Vulture droids."

"What's the ship's condition?" Padme asked, turning to face the man in curiosity.

"Last I heard, it was putting a meager defense but its shields were already down because of the battleships," Panaka beckoned her back the way he came. "Please, come with me."

A few minutes later, the pair had arrived in the security headquarters. It was filled with various types of surveillance equipment and monitors with almost a dozen people running about controlling them. Approaching the central holopad, Padme took in the pictures she could see and understand. There was a single blue icon that was descending through the atmosphere at considerable speeds, buzzing around it were four red icons that she guessed were the droid fighters.

"What's happened?" she demanded. "Have you been able to contact the ship?"

"No, your majesty," one of the controllers by the comm. answered. "We've been trying, but all we get is static."

"Based on the ship's descent angle and the increasing speeds, we believe it's bridge or engines must've been damaged," another of the security men spoke up. "We've also seen an escape pod launch, but the Vultures destroyed it before it got too far."

"The Federation's destroying escape pods now?!" Padme asked, horrified. "Why?"

"Your Majesty!" another man called out. "I've calculated the ship's descent. Unless it alters its course or slows its descent, it's gonna crash right in the middle of Theed!"

That comment brought a moment of silence and stillness to the bustling activity of the control room. Everyone in the room knew what would happen if an object traveling at those speeds hit the city's center. It would be like an atom bomb had gone off and the resulting devastation would utterly obliterate the city and everything within several miles radius.

"Order an emergency evacuation immediately," Padme said after a second's thought. "Do we have any high-altitude ships or speeders with tractor beams? Maybe they can pull the ship off course and spare the city."

"Yes, your majesty!"

"With all due respect, your majesty," Panaka said as he moved forward slightly. "We need to get you to safety also."

"Thank you, captain," Padme said, but didn't move from her position. "But my place here, helping these people coordinate the evacuation and the situation."

Panaka was torn between smiling and frowning at the Queen's response. It was little wonder why she was elected to rule the planet.

* * *

**Lower Atmosphere, Naboo  
**_**Early Harvest**_

Barely a minute into the fall and Anakin knew they had to move. No freighter was designed for rapid reentry, anything over 1,000 kilometers an hour risked the tearing off of the control vanes and external sensors. And the _Early Harvest_ was already doing in far excess of that. The ship shook and thundered. Strange screeching noises ran from nose to tail, as though it might tear apart at any moment. It would physically hold together long enough, he was sure of that.

Once he'd decided to remain aboard the doomed ship for as long as possible, Anakin used one of the consoles in the hallway to hack into the bridge's computer. He'd managed to reroute what was left of the system and had gained some control of the ship. But they were already approaching useless. The main display was full of static because of the fast-dwindling power supply from the back-up reactor. He could barely make out the planet ahead, let alone the location they were heading towards. He needed a better vantage point if he was going to pull this off.

Ahsoka was clutching tightly to his waist, terrified of letting go for even an instant. That they were effectively riding in a giant metal coffin was an additional thought he tried to suppress.

The ship could fly itself for a short time. He had patched the navicomp into what remained of the targeting computer, leaving him reasonably certain that it could point and thrust effectively while his hands were off the controls. Once that was done, he hardwired the repulsorlifts to activate once they navicomp judged the ship to be low enough in the atmosphere for them to be of any use. It'd slow the _Early Harvest_, but at these speeds it wouldn't be nearly enough to stop the ship from crashing.

"Come on, Ahsoka!" Anakin yelled as he left the console and hurried to the emergency locker near the bridge. The metal around the locker and the wall closest to where the bridge had formerly been were starting to turn red and molten from the atmospheric friction. They'd have to be quick! Opening the locker, Anakin grabbed two spacesuits that'd fit their small statures. Forcefully pulling Ahsoka off of him, he shook her lightly to try and bring her back into the moment. "AHSOKA! Put this on!"

"I don't wanna die!" Ahsoka yelled fearfully.

"_You won't!_" Anakin yelled back, already in the midst of pulling his own suit own. "_I'll __**protect**__ you! Just put that spacesuit on!_"

After a second of staring at Anakin's serious face, some of her fear started to disappear and be replaced with courage. If nothing else, Ahsoka trusted Anakin to do what he said. If he said he could protect her, he _could_ and he _would!_

With some help from Anakin, she managed to pull her suit on fairly quickly, locking its helmet in place just as the wall to the bridge started to really turn red. Grabbing her hand, Anakin rushed down the corridor a short way, slamming every single blast door and ray shield he could as they rushed to the turbolift to the cargo bay. It wasn't a moment too soon.

As the doors to the turbolift closed, Ahsoka glimpsed liquid metal and fiery plasma suddenly rocketing down the hallway towards them. The closing blast doors did little to stop the conflagration and the ray shields were easily destroyed as the metals of the corridor were flash-heated. The turbolift dropped them down towards the cargo bay just seconds before the fiery death reached them.

Anakin all but shoved Ahsoka out of the turbolift with him as it reached the bay and its doors opened. But that proved to be a mistake, they'd rushed into a new situation blindly. The cargo bay was on fire, the many different supplies Havoc had been hoping to sell had not taken the battle well. Part of the reason it was so consumed with fire was that highly-pressurized and highly-flammable liquid Tibanna gas had been among the supplies.

Before she could panic, Ahsoka felt Anakin grab her from behind and pick her up. With a mighty jump that she could only assume was Force-powered, Anakin leapt them both over the flames towards the cargo bay doors. Perhaps ironically, that portion of the bay was the only one that wasn't on fire. Landing heavily, Anakin and Ahsoka both tripped and collapsed onto the hot, bucking floor.

Quickly pulling themselves to their feet, Ahsoka looked around fearfully. "What do we do now, Anakin?!"

"Ahsoka, do you trust me?" Anakin asked from where he was gazing at the bay door.

"Uh—Yeah, why?" she asked, uncertain and suddenly feeling a lot more scared.

"You're not gonna like this," he said bluntly as he reached down and grabbed her, wrapping her around his back. "But trust me! And, no matter what happens, _don't let go of me!_"

Before she could formulate a reply or protest, Anakin suddenly hit the bay door released. Once its pressure had been compromised, the powerful winds wrenched the doors clear off the ship. This also created a powerful vacuum that pulled Anakin, Ahsoka, and the flames outwards. The two younglings were safely pulled far enough away from the doomed vessel that the flames had no effect on them.

Despite the fact that they were falling at tremendous speeds, Anakin couldn't stop the slight smile of relief that crossed his face. They had finally fallen far enough through the atmosphere that he and Ahsoka wouldn't be burned from the friction. He had figured that out when he saw the lack of molten metal on the bay doors.

But his relief was short-lived as he spotted two Vulture droids swinging around to fly towards him and Ahsoka. '_They shot down the escape pod!_' he remembered. '_They must not want __**any**__ survivors to reach the surface!_'

As the two droid fighters were bearing down on them, Anakin's fear turned into anger. He didn't want to die here. He didn't want Ahsoka to die here! They still had so much to do! He wouldn't let them die now! Reaching out with the Force, Anakin _commanded_ it to lash out, to attack, to destroy the approaching machines. With his anger as fuel, his focus upon the droid fighters, he pointed his hands at each of them and unleashed the powerful attack forces upon them.

Two long arcs of Force lightning shot out of his hands, impacting the fighters once they were within range. The powerful electricity quickly overloaded the droids' systems, ignited their fuel tanks which exploded and ruptured their reactors. The two droids were destroyed within moments, sending deadly flaming shrapnel flying towards the two younglings. Anakin reflexively held his arms up in a feeble defense as the debris reached them, crying out agony as a piece of razor-sharp metal punctured his lower abdomen.

"_Ani, look!_" Ahsoka yelled over the comm. as she pointed off to the side, ignorant of the pain he was presently in. Gritting his teeth as he yanked the protruding metal shard from his waist, Anakin turned to see what Ahsoka was pointing at. Immediately, his own pain was forgotten as he realized just what was going to happen.

The _Early Harvest_ was a huge, flaming wreck that was falling directly towards what seemed to be a large city below them. Racing up towards them were at least a dozen blue speeders that were probably hoping to somehow avert the imminent disaster, but Anakin could already see that it was a lost cause. '_If the __**Early Harvest**__ hits at these speeds…!_' "No, I won't let it happen!"

Anakin took a deep breath, reaching out and connecting with the Force. Given the circumstances, he wasn't all that surprised to find that his connection was established almost instantly. He raised his hands and spread his fingers wide. His eyes closed tightly against the fiery brightness of the plasma that was clinging to the _Early Harvest_'s hull. With each bucking and shaking of the ship below him, he encouraged himself to ride with it instead of fighting it. He was part of the ship, not a passenger. He _was_ the ship.

In the same way that he could feel his fingers and toes, his mind seeped outward into the metal and plastiod of the freighter. Every joint and weld, every porthole and piece of decking became part of his sense of being. There was no line anymore between Anakin Skywalker and the _Early Harvest_. They were one and the same being, from the perspective of the Force.

Then he sensed the arrival of a second, familiar presence immerging herself into the Force as well. Ahsoka, who remained clinging to his back, sought his calm and reassurance of their survival. He was able to spare a mere moment to 'pat' her reassuringly before returning his attention to his job at hand.

He waved his arms, and the ship followed the movement, listing slowly and heavily to the side. Some of the headlong shuddering faded, as though it were grateful to have someone at the helm one last time. Even the wind's shrieking seemed to ebb. Then he felt something tear away at the aft of the ship. Opening his eyes, Anakin spotted a large piece of flaming debris spinning dangerously back towards them. But before his concentration on the _Early Harvest_ shifted so he could do anything to protect them from the impending death, Ahsoka reached out her hand and mind, telekinetically deflecting the fiery metal far away from them. Grinning back at her, he nodded in gratitude before returning his attention to the _Early Harvest_. The _Early Harvest_ steadied itself again, finding a new center of gravity and roared on.

Confident that his vast metal charge was now under control again, he cast his mind outward. He was shocked by how far they had fallen. The _Early Harvest_ was nearing the surface and the city below at alarming speeds. In the Force, Anakin sensed the freighter shudder as multiple tractor beams latched onto its hull and attempted to pull the flaming death trap away from the city below.

'_Move_,' he commanded the ship, pushing his hands outwards as he tried to figuratively and literally push the flaming freighter onto a different course. But the massive bulk of the ship didn't do anything more than shake. '_Move!_' With a stronger push, he tried again. The freighter shook harder, but wasn't deterred in the least.

'_I won't let this happen_,' Anakin barked to himself. '_I am gonna be a __**true**__ Jedi! If I can't stop a ship from crashing into a city, __**what good will be I be?!**_'

Taking several deep, calming breaths, he reached out again with the Force as he chanted his mother's philosophy in his head. '_There is no ignorance; there is __**knowledge**__.' _His anger was a strong source of power, he knew. Using it, he focused it to add to his determination. _'There is no fear; there is __**power**__.' _Exerting his strength, he pushed out again in the Force. He wouldn't let that ship hit!_ 'I am the __**heart**__ of the Force.'_

The _Early Harvest_ started shaking more violently, slowly starting to inch off its previous course. As this was happening, the blue Naboo ships were finally having an effect on the ship, though not a good one. All their tractor beams had done was start tearing and bending the already weakened armor off the ship.

_'I am the revealing light of __**fire**__.'_ But Anakin was happy with that unfortunate development, the less armor meant less mass, which made the freighter lighter and thus easier to move. _'I am the mystery of __**darkness**__.'_ Anakin let out a shout of exertion as his anger and impulse to save lives merged into one powerful determination. _'In balance with __**chaos**__ and __**harmony!**__' _With adrenaline flooding his body, acting like a stimulant, he _pushed_ with all his might. '_**Immortal in the Force!**_'

The _Early Harvest_ was suddenly shoved far to the side, sent careening haphazardly through the air. Anakin had enough time to sigh in relief at his accomplishment before a sudden wave of exhaustion hit and, coupled with blood loss, he passed out.

A huge eruption heralded the impact of the freighter into the grass plains below the city and its massive waterfall. The earth and sky convulsed. A shockwave spread seemed to ripple outwards from the explosion as the fire and black smoke shot skywards.

* * *

**Theed, Naboo  
Royal Palace**

"Wh-What happened?!" Padme demanded as she stared in surprise at the image.

She had been watching at the falling wreckage of what remained of the freighter on a holo-screen once it'd come within range. She, like everyone in the room and the city at large, had been quite certain that they were doomed to die. The speeders hadn't been able to launch as quickly as hoped, and by the time they'd managed to get their tractor beams on the ship, there wasn't much chance left of changing its trajectory. The speeder pilots reported that their tractor beams were doing nothing more than pulling portions of its melted hull and armor off of it. It was a completely hopeless situation.

Then, completely unexpectedly, the entire ship suddenly changed course as though it'd been hit by high-speed freight train. Spinning and flailing in an uncontrolled fashion as it dropped and crashed into the plains south of the city. The massive impact rocked the city like an earthquake and kicked up large cloud of black smoke and dust, but otherwise didn't affect the city.

Turning, she looked over at the holopad to see if there were anything on it that might explain the phenomenon.

"I don't know," one of the security men said. "We didn't do that! The speeders didn't either!"

"That looked like something the Jedi might've done," another said. "Using that 'Force' thing of theirs or whatever."

"Your Majesty!" a third called. "Speeder 34-8 reports to have found survivors!"

"What?!" Padme turned sharply towards the woman. "How? There weren't any more escape pods launched, were there?"

"Speeder 34-8 reports…" the woman trailed off as a look of uncertainty and incredulity crossed her face. "They report there are survivors are hanging off their portside wing! They must've jumped ship after it got low enough in the atmosphere. They're bringing them in as we speak."

"Do they have jetpacks or repulsorlifts or something on them?" Panaka asked, more than curious to the miraculous coincidence.

"They didn't say," the woman answered, still wearing that uncertain expression. "But I don't think they do."

"They must be either suicidal or _unbelievably_ lucky," Panaka muttered to himself.

"What's their status?" Padme asked.

"Injured, badly," was the somewhat expected answer. "Speeder 34-8 reports to be heading for the hospital."

* * *

**Thirty seconds earlier  
Above Theed, Naboo**

"Alright!" Ahsoka yelled over the comm., thrusting one arm out triumphantly at her brother's success. "You're awesome, Skyguy!" When she got no reply, she shook his shoulder, "Anakin?"

Turning him slightly, Ahsoka gasped as she saw that he was unconscious and had a blood gushing out of a hole in his waist, blowing up into the air. "Anakin, wake up!" But he didn't stir.

Looking around frantically, Ahsoka tried to find something that would help them. They were already incredibly close to the surface and would die within moments if she couldn't do something to save them. Spotting a nearby blue speeder, Ahsoka waved her hands about as she yelled over the comm., trying to get to pilot's attention. But it didn't seem to be working!

'_No!_' she screamed in her head. '_I don't wanna die __**now!**__ Not after Ani just moved a whole __**ship**__ to—!_" That was when inspiration hit her.

She may not be strong enough to move whole spaceships yet, but she could definitely move both her and Anakin! With her fear and adrenaline working to amplify her strength and concentration, Ahsoka delved deeper into the Force than she'd gone previously. Grasping ahold of her and Anakin's bodies, she _pulled_ them over towards the speeder.

Almost as if they were wearing jetpacks, the two of them shot off to the side towards the speeder. Reaching out with one hand, Ahsoka managed to grab one of the wings of the speeder. Doing so, they'd hit the thing with a considerable _thump_, sending a jolt of pain through her small body that made it very difficult for her to keep her hold on Anakin's body. Focusing her attention on her task and trying to ignore her pain with all her strength, she pulled Anakin up over the wing and held on for dear life.

Apparently, their impact on the wing hadn't gone unnoticed as a door on the side of the speeder suddenly opened and a man appeared, trying to move out towards them to help.

* * *

_**Radiant VII**_

"You can feel it too, can't you, Obi-wan?" Jedi Master Qui-gon Jinn asked from where he was kneeling on the floor, meditating.

"Yes, master," Obi-wan answered. "One very powerful disturbance in the Force full of anger and determination, and second one full of fear. I think it's the same two I sensed earlier."

"And what do you make them?" Qui-gon asked, curious to his Padawan's response.

"I think they could be very dangerous," Obi-wan said quite seriously. "If they're not found and properly trained in the ways of the Force. They're walking down the path of the dark side."

"That may be," Qui-gon acknowledged, nodding his head slightly. "But I didn't sense any malicious intent from either of them. Only the will to survive and protect. These two are different. They feel…focused but wild, not controlled by their emotions but using them freely. What an interesting pair."

Obi-wan was quiet as he opened his eyes and looked over at his master. Qui-gon was always one to do as he wished, rarely ever obeying the wishes of the Jedi High Council. Though he kept within the limits of the Code, Qui-gon was always more willing to push the envelope of what was acceptable Jedi behavior, like his Master before him. Obi-wan didn't agree with this, but it wasn't his place to scold his master on his actions.

Turning his attention to a different topic, Obi-wan asked, "How long will it take us to reach the Naboo system at this speed, Master?"

"Five to seven days," the Jedi Master answered easily. "Depending the amount of traffic and any refueling stops the ship must make. Be patient, Obi-wan. I sense that we'll meeting those two sooner than we expect."

"Yes, master," Obi-wan said, kinda surprised at his master's comment. Did he know something that Obi-wan didn't?

* * *

(**Author's Note**) Big time shout-out to **animefan29** for his help on this chapter. I'm really grateful for having a friend who's such a diehard Star Wars fan. I hope the rest of you enjoyed this chapter. I'm quite proud of it myself. In case any of you are curious, I was largely inspired for this from the game 'Force Unleashed II' and I'll say no more.

As for the trivia of last chapter, the answer is I used the pirate ship _Early Harvest_ from my Gundam Seed Destiny: Kira. Looking back on it, I don't seem to treat that ship very well since I've now used it _twice_ and destroyed it _both_ times. Heheheh.


	3. Invasion and Escape

**Star Wars: Episode 1—A Retelling  
**The Phantom Menace  
By: Tellemicus Sundance  
_#03: Invasion and Escape_

**Five days later…  
Theed, Naboo  
Hospital**

He was floating in a warm pool of energy. The energy was soothing as it caressed, enveloped, and penetrated his body. He tried to embrace it, but the burning agony in his waist made that very difficult. Why was he hurting so much? Did something happen to him? What and why? Those were his first semi-coherent thoughts as his mind slowly rose out of the blissful darkness that had encompassed it.

Stirring slightly, Anakin let out a small groan. These actions brought a slight gasp from a familiar presence near him.

"Anakin?" Ahsoka's voice called from a slight distance away. "You waking up? You okay?! Hey! Answer me!"

"I'm awake now, Snips," Anakin groaned, finally managing to open his eyes and turning his head to look towards where her voice came from. He found himself staring across the room of what was clearly a hospital, the little Togrutan youngling sitting up in a bed that was three sizes too large for her. Looking around the rest of the room, his earlier assumption that they were in a hospital was proven correct as he spotted various medical equipment throughout. "Where are we, besides in a hospital?"

"Naboo," Ahsoka pointed out. "You fell asleep after you pushed the _Early Harvest_ away from the city. That was _awesome_, Skyguy!"

Anakin shot a rueful grin at her as he tried to sit up. A sharp pain in his waist quickly deterred that idea, causing him to look down and inspect his injury. He had a fist-sized bacta patch stuck upon his abdomen, just over his waist.

"The doctor said you shouldn't walk for a few days," Ahsoka spoke up helpfully. "That you really hurt your leg and that walking will only make it worse."

Anakin glanced up at the youngling with an arched eyebrow and speculative look in his eye. "They told you that to make sure I didn't try to move or leave, didn't they?"

"Yup!" Ahsoka chirped, grinning cheekily.

"Did anyone come to talk to me or you while I was out?"

Ahsoka hummed in acknowledgement as she nodded. "Some guy, Pana-something, wanted to talk to you. He wanted to know if you were a Jedi. I told him no, but I don't think he really believed me."

Humming to himself as he started looking around their room, Anakin asked, "Do you know what they did with our stuff? You know; those _special_ things that I've been working on lately?"

"Uh…_OH!_" her eyes lit up in understanding as she pointed beneath his bed where there was a series of drawers. "They put all our stuff in there. But I don't know if they put _those_ in there. I think they locked it."

Snorting, Anakin blandly said, "And I suppose you know because you tried to _force_ them open, didn't you?" Ahsoka's flush of embarrassment was all the answer he needed.

Turning his attention to the locked drawers, he examined them closely. They looked like the basic electronic numerical-encryption type, very easy to decode with even a datapad. But while he didn't have that, he had something much more powerful. Reaching out, he waved his hand as he directed the Force to momentarily shut down the electronic systems. By the default of the programming, once the system had rebooted, the lock was reset and drawers were opened.

Leaning over while forcefully ignoring the throbbing agony in his side, Anakin reached down and started leafing through what lay inside the drawer. He found his old clothes within, his shoes, some of the few credits he had still in his pockets, and his utility belt. Then, hidden in the back of the drawer and almost out of his reach were the two things that he was most desperately seeking. Picking up the two items, he hit the triggers. A blue blade of light sprang to life from one while a shorter red blade ignited from the other with a pair of snap-hisses. Waving them about slightly, Anakin let out a sigh of relief as he deactivated his lightsaber and shoto.

The lightsaber had been something he'd stolen while he'd been in hiding on Nar Shadaa. The weapon itself was an old Jedi one that had been taken when it's creator had been killed before the Jedi Order could collect it. Somehow, it worked its way through the black market before it finally found its way into the collection of a smalltime crime lord on the moon. Anakin, who'd been relying on the Force at the time to survive the hostile moon, had sensed a peculiar flair in the Force and followed it to the lightsaber. Though the weapon wasn't made for him, he took for his own since he knew that its original owner would most likely prefer it not be in the hands of a crime lord. From that lightsaber, Anakin began tinkering with it, examining its construction and different components. Eventually, once he had a basic understanding of it, he decided to test his knowledge by constructing his own prototype. Hence, the shoto had been built.

"Ani?" Ahsoka said, drawing his attention back to the present. "What are we gonna do now?"

That was a good question. All he could really say was, "Don't worry, I'll figure something out."

* * *

**Orbit above Naboo  
Trade Federation Droid Control Ship, **_**Vuutun Palaa**_

On the bridge, Nute Gunray and Rune Haako watched the viewscreen flicker back to life. The destroyer droids were reverting to their wheeled forms, spinning away across the entry and down the hallway, clearly in pursuit of the Jedi.

"We have them on the run," Rune Haako breathed, scarcely able to believe their good fortune.

Nute Gunray said nothing, thinking that their escape had been entirely too close. It was ridiculous that they should be fighting Jedi Knights in any event. This was a matter of commerce, not of politics. The Trade Federation was fully justified in resisting the Republic Senate's foolish decision to impose a tax on trade routes when there was no basis in law for doing so. That the Neimoidians had found an ally to stand with them in this matter, to advise them on imposing a blockade and forcing a withdrawal of sanctions, was no cause for calling in the Jedi.

He hunched his shoulders and made a fuss over straightening his robes to disguise his shaking. He was distracted suddenly by a call from the communications center behind him. "Sir, a transmission from the city of Theed on Naboo."

The viewscreen to the planet flickered to life and a woman appeared. She was young, beautiful, and serene. An applied beauty mark of deepest crimson split her lower lip, and a golden headdress framed her powdery-white face. She stared out at the Neimoidians from the screen as if she were so far above and beyond them as to be unapproachable.

"It's Queen Amidala herself," Rune Haako whispered, just out of holocam view.

Nute Gunray nodded, moving closer. "At last we're getting results," he whispered back.

He moved to where he could be seen by the Queen. Cloaked in her ceremonial robes, Amidala sat on her throne, an ornate chair on a raised dais front by a low, flat-surfaced divider. The Queen was surrounded by five handmaidens, all of them cloaked and hooded in crimson. Her gaze was steady and direct as it took in the viceroy's leathery countenance.

"The Trade Federation is pleased you have chosen to come before us, Your Highness," he began smoothly.

"You will not be so pleased when you hear what I have to say, Viceroy," she said flatly, cutting his short. "Your trade boycott is ended."

Nute fought down his shock, regained his composure, and smirked at Rune. "Really, Your Highness? I was not aware—"

"I have word that the Senate is finally voting on the matter," she continued, ignoring him.

"I take it you know the outcome already, then," Nute felt a measure of uncertainty take hold. "I wonder why they bother to vote at all."

Amidala leaned forward slightly, and the Neimoidian could see the fire in her brown eyes. "I have had enough of pretense, Viceroy. I am aware that the Supreme Chancellor's ambassadors are with you now, and that you have been commanded to reach a settlement. What is it to be?"

Nute Gunray felt a deep hole open in his waning confidence. "I know nothing about any ambassadors. You must be mistaken."

There was a flicker of surprise on the Queen's face as she studied the viceroy carefully. "Beware, Viceroy," she said softly. "The Federation has gone too far this time."

Nute shook his head quickly, drawing himself up in a defensive posture. "Your Highness, we would never do anything in defiance of the Senate's will. You assume too much."

Amidala sat motionless, brown eyes fixed on him—as if she could see the truth he was trying to hide, as if he were made of glass.

"We shall see," she said softly. The viewscreen went blank. Nute Gunray drew a long breath and exhaled slowly, not caring much for how this woman made him feel.

"She's right," Rune Haako said at his elbow "The Senate will never let—"

Nute lifted one hand to cut him short. "It's too late now. The invasion is under way."

Rune Haako was silent for a moment. "Do you think she suspects an attack?"

The viceroy wheeled away. "I don't know, but I don't want to take any chance. We must move quickly to disrupt all communications down there until we're finished!"

In the main hangar bay of the ship, Qui-gon Jinn and Obi-wan Kenobi crouched silently in the opening of a large circulation vent that overlooked six massive double-winged Federation landing ships surrounded by a vast array of transports. The transports were large boot-shaped vehicles with bulbous noses. The doors that formed those noses gaped open, racks were extended and thousands of sleek silvery shapes were marching inside in perfect formation to be secured.

"Battle droids," Qui-gon said softly. There was surprise and dismay in his deep voice.

"It's an invasion army," Obi-wan said.

They continued to watch for a time, taking in the scene, counting transports and droids as they filled the half-dozen landing craft, taking measure of the size of the army.

"It's an odd play for the Federation," Qui-gon observed. "We've got to warn the Naboo and contact Chancellor Valorum."

Obi-wan nodded. "We'd best do it somewhere besides here."

His mentor glanced at him. "Maybe we can hitch a ride with our friends down there."

"It's the least they can do after the way they've treated us so far," Obi-wan pursed his lips. "You were right about one thing, Master. The negotiations were short."

Qui-gon Jinn smiled and beckoned him ahead.

* * *

**The next day  
Theed, Naboo**

It was like something out of an ancient war cinematic. Legions of hardened soldiers marching into the city supported by massive and powerful vehicles and other war machines that were rounding up the defenseless civilians with a cold calculation that was brutal in its apathy. No one was allowed to escape. If someone tried to run, the droids would gun them down. If someone tried to resist, they were stunned and dragged along by their companions as the droids collected them into designated groups to be processed.

Hiding in the shadows of a small bridge, a small form peered out to watch with fearful eyes.

"Calm down, Ahsoka," a second voice said softly, hidden deeper in the shadows. "They'll find us for sure if you can't calm down."

"Can't we help them, Anakin?" Ahsoka asked scared but also determined. She and Anakin had the Force! Why shouldn't they try to help those people? Why couldn't they fight back against those stupid droids?! "We could take 'em!"

"Maybe," Anakin agreed. "But we're still outnumbered. Even if we destroyed every single droid in this city, the commanders would just send more. Don't forget that I'm still hurt, they'd surround and kill us pretty easily."

Ahsoka pouted but moved away from the edge to sit closer to Anakin. "What do we do now?"

Humming thoughtfully, Anakin looked over towards a large building that he could see behind three others. "I think we've got only two real options, Ahsoka. We can stay here and eventually get caught. Or we can sneak over to the hangar bay, steal a ship, and try to escape on our own."

"But what about these people?" Ahsoka asked.

"We could always send a transmission to Coruscant that the Federation's invading the planet," Anakin added thoughtfully as a plan quickly began to form in his mind. "Yeah…But we'd still need to get past the blockade."

"That didn't work too well last time," Ahsoka pointed out bluntly.

"Maybe not," he agreed. "But the _Early Harvest_ was a large and slow transport. What we need is something smaller and much faster, like a starfighter."

"And I suppose you wanna be the pilot," Ahsoka pouted slightly. "Why can't I fly?"

"Maybe when you get older, Snips," Anakin said, grinning roguishly at her as her pout deepened. Crawling forward, he beckoned her to follow. "Come on, no time like the present!"

Once they had climbed out of their hiding spot, Anakin handed her his shoto. Though he didn't say anything, it was clear that he was giving it to her to help her protect herself. There was definitely going to be some fighting that was going to happen shortly.

* * *

**Royal Palace**

Nute Gunray stood in silence at the center of the palace throne room in the Naboo capital city of Theed and listened patiently as Governor Sio Bibble protested the Trade Federation presence. Rune Haako stood at his side. Both wore their Federation robes of office and inscrutable expressions. Two dozen battle droids held the Naboo occupants of the room at gunpoint.

The city had fallen shortly after sunrise. There had been little resistance; the Naboo were a peaceful people. The Trade Federation invasion had come as a surprise, and the droid army was inside the gates of the city before any substantial defense could be mounted. What few weapons there were had been confiscated and the Naboo removed to detention camps. Battle droids were combing the city now to put an end to any lingering resistance.

Gunray resisted a smile. Apparently the Queen had believed right up to the end that negotiations would prevail and the Senate would provide the people of Naboo with protection.

"It is bad enough, Viceroy, that you dare to disrupt transmissions between the Queen and Senator Palpatine while he is attempting to argue our cause before the Republic Senate, bad enough that you pretend that this blockade is a lawful action, but landing an entire army on our planet and occupying our cities is too outrageous for words." Sio Bibble was a tall, balding man with a sharply pointed beard and an even sharper tongue. He held the floor just at the moment, but Gunray was getting tired of listening to him.

He glanced at the other captives. Captain Panaka and four of the Queen's personal guards stood to one side, stripped of their weapons and helpless. Panaka was stone-faced and hard-eyed as he watched the Neimoidians. Gunray did not like the way those eyes were fixed on him.

The Queen sat upon her throne, surrounded by her handmaidens. She was serene and aloof, detached from everything, as if what was taking place had no effect on her, could not touch her in any way. She wore black, her white-painted face in sharp contrast to the black feathered headdress that wrapped and framed it. A gold chain lay across her regal brow and the red beauty mark split her lower lip. She was considered beautiful, Gunray had been told, but he had no sense of human beauty and by Neimoidian-standards she was simply colorless and small-featured.

What interested him was her youth. She was barely out of girlhood, certainly not a full-grown woman, and yet the people of Naboo had chosen her as their Queen. This wasn't one of those monarchies where blood determined right to rule and dynasties prevailed. The Naboo chose the wisest among them as their ruler by popular acclaim, and Queen Amidala governed at the sufferance of her people. Why they would choose someone so young and naïve was a mystery to him. From his point-of-view, it certainly hadn't served them well in this instance.

Governor Sio Bibble's voice echoed through the cavernous chamber, rising to the high, vaulted ceiling, bouncing off the smooth, sunlit walls. Theed was an opulent, prosperous city and the throne room reflected its history of success.

"Viceroy, I ask you pointblank," Sio Bibble was concluding his oration. "How do you intend to explain this invasion to the Senate?"

The Neimoidian's flat, reptilian countenance managed a small flicker of humor. "The Naboo and the Trade Federation will forge a treaty that will legitimize our occupation of Theed. I have been assured that such a treaty, once produced, will be quickly ratified by the Senate."

"A treaty?" the governor exclaimed in astonishment. "In the face of this completely unlawful action?"

Amidala rose from her throne and stepped forward, surrounded by her cloaked and hooded handmaidens. Her eyes were sharp with anger. "I will not cooperate."

Nute Gunray exchanged a quick glance with Rune Haako. "Now, now, Your Highness," he purred. "Don't be too hasty with your pronouncements. You are not going to like what we have in store for your people. In time, their suffering will persuade you to see our point of view. Enough talk." He turned away and beckoned the yellow-painted droid. "Commander? Process them."

The battle droid OOM-9 signaled for one of his sergeants to take over, metallic voice directing that the prisoners be taken to Camp Four. The battle droids herded the Queen, her handmaidens, Governor Bibble, Captain Panaka, and the Naboo guards from the room. Nute Gunray's slit reddish-orange eyes followed them out, then shifted back to Haako and the room. He felt a deep sense of satisfaction take hold. Everything was going exactly as it should.

* * *

**Grand Plaza, Theed**

The sergeant and a dozen battle droids moved the prisoners along the polished stone halls of the Theed palace and outside to where a series of terraced steps led downward through statuary and buttress work to a broad plaza. The plaza was filled with Federation tanks and battle droids, empty of Naboo citizens. The tanks were squat, shovel-nosed vehicles with their main cannon mounted on a turret above and behind the cockpit and smaller blasters set low and to either side. They had the look of foraging beetles as they edged about the plaza's perimeter.

Beyond, the buildings of Theed stretched away towards the horizon, a vast sprawl of high stone walls, gilded domes, peaked towers, and sculpted archways. Sunlight bathed the gleaming edifices, their architecture in counterpoint to the lush greenness of the planet. The rush of waterfalls and bubble of fountains formed a soft, distant backdrop to the strange silence created by the absence of the populace.

The prisoners were taken across the plaza, past the machines of war. No one spoke, even Governor Bibble had gone silent with his head lowered in dark contemplation. They had departed the plaza and turned down a broad avenue that led to the outskirts of the city and the newly-constructed Trade Federation detention camps. STAPS hummed overhead, shadows flitting off the walls of the buildings, metal shells gleaming as they darted away.

The droids had just turned their prisoners down a quiet byway when their sergeant, who was leading the procession, brought them to an abrupt halt. Two men stood directly in their way, both wearing loose robes over belted tunics. The taller wore his hair long and the shorter man with a shorter cut but with a long, braided pigtail. Their arms hung loosely at their sides, but they did not have the look of men who were unprepared.

For a moment, each group stared at the other in silence. Then the narrow face of a Gungan peeked out from behind the two robed figures, eyes wide and frightened.

Qui-gon Jinn stepped forward. "Are you Queen Amidala of the Naboo?" he asked the young woman in the feathered headdress.

The Queen hesitated. "Who are you?"

"Ambassadors from the Supreme Chancellor," the Jedi Master inclined his head slightly. "We seek an audience with you, Your Highness."

The droid sergeant suddenly seemed to remember where he was and what he was doing. He gestured to his soldiers. "Clear them away!"

Four of the battle droids moved to obey. They were just shifting their weapons into firing positions when the Jedi activated their lightsabers and cut them apart with clear and obvious ease. As the shattered droids collapsed, the Jedi moved quickly to dispatch the others. Laser bolts were blocked, weapons were knocked aside, and the remaining droids were reduced to scrap metal. The sergeant turned to flee, but Qui-gon brought up his hand, holding the droid fast with the power of the Force. In seconds, the sergeant lay in a ruined heap with the rest of his troops.

Quickly the Naboo soldiers moved to recover the fallen weapons. The Jedi Knights flicked off their lightsabers and motioned everyone out of the open street and into the shelter of an alley between two buildings. Jar Jar Binks followed, muttering in wonder at the cold efficiency with which the Jedi had dispatched their enemies.

Qui-gon faced the Queen. "Your Highness, I am Qui-gon Jinn and my companion is Obi-wan Kenobi. We are Jedi Knights as well as ambassadors for the Supreme Chancellor."

"Your negotiations seem to have failed, Ambassador," Sio Bibble observed with a snort.

"The negotiations never took place," Qui-gon kept his eyes directed towards the Queen. Her painted face showed nothing. "Your Highness, we must make contact with the Republic."

"We can't," Panaka said, stepping forward. "They've knocked out all our communications."

An alarm was being given from somewhere close, and there was the sound of running. Qui-gon glanced towards the street where the battle droids lay. "Do you have transports?"

The Naboo captain nodded, quick to see what the Jedi intended. "In the main hangar. This way."

He led the little group to the end of the alleyway, where they crossed to the other passageways and backstreets, encountering no one. They moved quickly and silently through the growing sound of alarms and the wicked buzz of STAPs. To their credit, the Naboo did not resist Qui-gon's leadership nor question his appearance. With Panaka and his men newly-armed, the Naboo Queen and her companions had a sense of being in control of their own destiny once more and seemed more than ready to take a chance on their rescuers.

It did not take them long to reach their destination. A series of connected buildings dominated one end of a broad causeway, each one domed and cavernous, the central structures warded by arched entrances and low, flat-walled outbuildings. Battle droids were stationed everywhere, weapons held at the ready. But Captain Panaka was able to find an unguarded approach down a narrow corridor between adjoining buildings.

At a side door to the main hangar, Panaka brought the group to a halt. It was here that some unexpected sounds began to reach them; blasters being fired, small explosions, and clunking and screeching noises of metal hitting stone. After a quick glance over his shoulder for droids, Panaka unlocked and nudged open the hangar door. With Qui-gon pressed close, they peered inside to survey the battle scene. What they found inside wasn't necessarily what they were expecting.

The battle droids were rushing forward from where they had been stationed. There seemed to be two assailants, both very small, child-like in stature and wielding humming blades of light in their hands. But both of them were tearing through the battle droids with almost surprising ease, the bigger one with the blue lightsaber more so than the smaller one with the short red blade. The droids seemed to realize this as well, since they were concentrating their attacks on the blue blade attacker.

Spinning with its lightsaber little more than a blur of light and movement, the little figure deflected one blaster bolt away after another. Qui-gon couldn't help but notice that while the boy, for that was what he was, was capable of wielding the weapon with surprising ease he also lacked even the most basic of techniques. He was just swinging the saber around however he chose with no style whatsoever.

"Halt!" one of the battle droid sergeants commanded at the boy. "You're under arrest!"

"Arrest _this_, clanker!" the boy shouted, thrusting one hand forward. In response, a large pressure of Force energy blasted forward, slamming into the sergeant and four others who happened to unfortunate enough to have been too close. All five of them were thrown into the stone wall, their internal circuitry smashed and sparking from the impact before collapsing lifelessly to the floor.

'_No style whatsoever_,' Qui-gon commented to himself. But despite himself, he couldn't help but gawk internally at the immense amount of Force presence he'd sensed briefly from the boy as he unleashed his Force wave attack.

But the boy's concentration on the battle droid sergeant cost the boy. One of the other droids from behind him used the distraction provided to shoot him in the shoulder, causing the boy to yell out in pain as he stumbled forward from the blow, falling to his knees and dropping his lightsaber.

"Skyguy!" the other attacker called out in distress, having seen and heard him fall.

Qui-gon and Panaka didn't even need to talk to agree with their next move. Opening the door fully, the Jedi Master rushed forward into the battle with his own lightsaber springing to life. Behind him, the Naboo soldiers leveled their blasters upon the droids and unleashed their fury. Having been caught unawares in a flanking maneuver, the remaining ten battle droids were quickly brought down.

The boy had managed to pick himself up, holding his now deactivated lightsaber in his hand as his good one tenderly held his wound over his shoulder. Running forward to him was a young Togrutan who'd dropped her red shoto as she neared her friend and grabbed ahold of him, "Ani! Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine, Ahsoka," the boy said, though the pain he was feeling was clearly noticeable in his voice. "It was just a love tap." The young Togrutan didn't look convinced but she didn't have time to argue as she noticed that their helpers had quickly gathered around them. "Who are you guys?" the boy asked, his attention torn between the numerous different faces.

"We can introduce ourselves later," Qui-gon pointed out calmly. "I take it you and your friend are also hoping to get off-planet."

The boy nodded but said nothing as he gently tucked the girl protectively behind him.

Turning back to the Queen as she gingerly made her way forward through the metallic carnage, Qui-go said, "Your Highness, under the circumstances, I suggest you come to Coruscant with us."

The young woman shook her head, the feathers on her headdress rustling softly. Her white-painted face was calm and her gaze steady. "Thank you, Ambassador, but my place is with my people."

"I don't think so," Qui-gon responded, locking eyes. "The Trade Federation has other plans. They will kill you if you stay."

Sio Bibble pushed to the Queen's side. "They wouldn't dare!"

"They need her to sign a treaty to make this invasion of theirs legal!" Captain Panaka pointed out. "They can't afford to kill her!"

"That's a stupid thing to do," the little Togrutan commented softly, hiding behind her friend when the adults all glanced at her. "Why would she wanna do something so stupid like that?"

"Indeed," Qui-gon acknowledged, nodding his head to the girl with a slight smile on his face. Quickly returning his attention to the Queen, he pressed on "There is something else going on, Your Highness. As the youngling pointed out, there's no logic in the Federation's actions. My instincts tell me they will destroy you."

A shadow of real alarm crossed Sio Bibble's face as the Jedi Master finished. His strong features melted slightly "Your Highness," he said slowly. "Perhaps you should reconsider. Our only hope is for the Senate to take our side in this matter. Senator Palpatine will need your help."

Captain Panaka was having none of it. "Getting past their blockade is impossible, Your Highness. Even if we were to get off planet! An escape attempt is too dangerous—"

At this, the boy snorted subtly. "The _Early Harvest_ got past it, even if it crashed."

The two Jedi glanced questioningly at the boy's comment but made no attempt to discuss it since it seemed irrelevant. Especially since Sio Bibble had interrupted Panaka. "Your Highness, I will stay here and do what I can. They will have to retain the Council of Governors in order to maintain some semblance of order. But you must leave!"

Queen Amidala brought up her hand sharply to silence the debate. Turning from her governor, head of security, and Jedi, she looked suddenly to her handmaidens, who were pressed close about her. Looking from face to face, she said, "Either choice presents great risk to all of us…"

Qui-gon watched the exchange, puzzled. What was the Queen seeking? The handmaidens glanced from one another, faces barely visible within the confines of red and gold hooded robes. All were silent until finally Handmaiden Padme spoke, "We are brave, Your Highness."

The alarms continued to sound. "If you are to leave, Your Highness, it must be now," Qui-gon urged.

"So be it. I will plead our case before the Senate." She glanced at Sio Bibble. "Be careful, Governor."

With the discussion over and the decision made, the majority of the group made its way hurriedly into the Nubian transport. Within little time, the engines were ignited, the boarding ramp raised, and the ship lifted off.

* * *

**Orbit above Naboo  
Royal Cruiser, Bridge**

Obi-wan Kenobi had just reentered the transport's cockpit when explosions began to buffet the ship. He could see a huge Trade Federation battleship looming ahead through the viewport, cannons firing. The Queen's transport was rocked so violently by the blasts that it was thrown from its trajectory. Ric Olié's gloved hands were locked onto the steering grips, fighting to bring the slender craft back into line.

"We should abort, sir!" the pilot shouted at Qui-gon, who was braced at his side, eyes fixed on the battleship. "Our deflector shields can't withstand much more of this!"

"Stay on course," the Jedi Master ordered calmly. He glanced down at the controls. "Do you have a cloaking device?"

"This is not a warship!" Captain Panaka snapped, looking angry and betrayed. "We have no weapons, Ambassador! We're a nonviolent people, which is why the Trade Federation was brave enough to attack us in the first place!"

A series of explosions jarred the Nubian cruiser and the lights on the control panel flickered weakly. An alarm sounded, shrill and angry. The transport shuddered, its power drive stalling momentarily in a high-pitched whine.

"No weapons," Qui-gon breathed. Obi-wan was next to him, feeling the weight of the other's gaze as it shifted to find him, steady and unwavering. One hand settled on Ric Olié's shoulder. "The Trade Federation uses pulser tracking for its weapons. Spin the ship. It will make it difficult for them to get a reading on us."

The pilot nodded, flipping a series of levers and put the Nubian into a slow spin. Ahead, the battleship filled the viewport, then lost focus. The Queen's transport accelerated, racing toward the enemy craft, whipping past towers and gunports, bay and stabilizers, speeding down an alleyway of jagged metal protrusions and cannon fire. A laser bolt hammered into them, causing sparks and smoke to explode from one panel, sending it ship reeling. For a brief moment they were tumbling out of control. Then Ric Olié pulled back hard on the controls, and the hull of the battleship receded.

"Something's wrong," the pilot announced quietly, fighting the steering, feeling the ship shudder beneath. "Shields are down!"

They continued to spin, to hug the cavernous shell of the Trade Federation battleship, so close that the larger guns were rendered useless and only the smaller could chance firing at them. But without shields even a glancing hit could be disastrous.

"Sending out the repair crew!" Olié shouted, and flipped a lever.

On a viewscreen, an airlock snapped open and a series of astromech droids popped out of the hatch and onto the transport's hull. The transport straightened and leveled out, the spinning stopping. The droids motored swiftly across the hull, seeking out the damage as Ric Olié hugged the battleship's shadow in an effort to protect them.

But now there was a new threat. Unable to bring the weapons of the warship to bear in an effective manner, the Trade Federation command dispatched a squad of starfighters. Down the length of the mothership they tore, seeking out the Queen's transport. Fast and maneuverable, they had no trouble working close to the battleship's hull. In seconds, they were on top of the transport, weapons firing. As Ric Olié struggled to find cover and gain speed, two of the R2 units were blown away. Other fighters came roaring in and peppered the hull from beneath, rocking the ship violently, but the hull was able to withstand much of the punishment.

On the viewscreen, the blue R2 unit could be seen working furiously to connect a series of wires exposed by a damaged hull plate. Laser fire lanced all around it, but it continued its effort without stopping. The fourth droid across from it disappeared in a cloud of shattered metal and brilliant fire. Alone, the blue unit continued its work, undaunted by the onslaught of the Trade Federation starfighters.

Something changed on the cockpit display and Ric Olié gave a shout of approval. "The shields are up! That little droid did it!" He jammed the thrusters all the way forward, and the transport rocketed away from both the battleship and the starfighters, leaving the Trade Federation blockade and the planet of Naboo behind. Meanwhile, the lone R2 unit turned and motored back into the airlock, disappearing from view.

When they were well away from any Trade Federation presence, Ric Olié made a thorough check of the controls, assessing the damage, trying to determine what was needed. Obi-wan sat next to him in the copilot's seat, lending help. Qui-gon and Captain Panaka stood behind them, awaiting the reports.

Ric Olié shook his head doubtfully. "We can't go far. The forward long-range sensor array, communication antennas, and much of the lower bow systems are damaged. We've still got navigation and the hyperspace capability, but I don't recommend going more than 15 parasecs away with this damage."

Qui-gon nodded. "We'll have to land somewhere to make repairs to the ship. What's out there?"

Ric Olié punched in a star chart and they hunched over the monitor, studying it.

"Here, Master," Obi-wan said, his sharp eyes picking out the only choice available. "Malastare. It's on the Hydian Way, probably has a Trade Federation presence, but it should do."

"We can't take her Royal Highness to a planet controlled by the Trade Federation!" Captain Panaka argued immediately. "If they discovered her—"

"We would be right back in our situation back on Naboo," Qui-gon finished for Panaka. "But the Federation doesn't own or control Malastare, nor do the Dugs have any love of the Federation either, which gives us an advantage. Plus, the best place to hide is right under your tormentor's nose."

The Queen's head of security started to say something more, but then thought better of it. He took a deep breath instead, frustration etched on his smooth, dark face, and turned away. Qui-gon tapped Ric Olié on the shoulder. "Set course for Malastare."

* * *

**Orbit above Naboo  
Trade Federation Droid Control Ship, **_**Vuutun Palaa**_

In a remote conference room on the Trade Federation's flagship, Nute Gunray and Rune Haako sat side by side at a long table, staring nerviously at a hologram of Darth Sidious positioned at the table's head. The hologram shimmered with the movements of the Dark Lord's dark cloak, a patchwork of small nuances that the Neimoidians found themselves unable to read.

The Sith Lord had not been summoned. The Neimoidians would have been happy if he had chosen not to communicate with them at all this day. But in keeping with the way he always seemed to sense when things were not going right, he had appeared on own. Demanding a report on the progress of the invasion, he had settled back to listen to Nute Gunray's narrative and had said nothing since.

"We control all the cities in the northern and western part of the Naboo territory," the viceroy was relating. "and we are searching for any other settlements where resistance—"

"Yes, yes," Darth Sidious interrupted suddenly, his soft voice vaguely impatient. "You've done well. Now then, destroy all their high-ranking officials. Do so quietly, but be thorough." He paused. "What of Queen Amidala? Has she signed the treaty?"

Nute Gunray took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "She has disappeared, my lord. There was an escape—"

"An escape?" the Sith Lord spoke the words in a low hiss.

"One Naboo cruiser got past the blockade—"

"How did she escape, Viceroy?"

Nute Gunray looked at Rune Haako for help, but his counterpart was paralyzed with fear. "The Jedi, my lord. They found their way to her, overpowered her guards…"

Darth Sidious stirred within his robes like a big cat, shadows glimmering within the confines of his concealing hood. "Viceroy, find her! I want that treaty signed!"

"My lord, we have been unable to locate the ship she escaped on," the Neimoidian admitted, wishing he could sink into the floor right then and there.

"Viceroy!"

"Once it got by us, we tried to give pursuit but it managed to elude us! Now it's out of our range—"

A wave of one robed arm cut him short. "Not for a Sith."

Something shimmered in the background of the hologram and a figure emerged from the darkness behind Darth Sidious. Nute Gunray froze. It was a second Sith Lord. But whereas Darth Sidious was a vague and shadowy presence, this new Sith was truly terrifying to look upon. His face was a mask of jagged red and black patterns, the design etched into his skin, and his skull was hairless and studded with a crown of short, hooked horns. Gleaming yellow eyes fixed on the Neimoidians, breaking past their defenses, stripping them bare and dismissing them as insignificant and foolish.

"Viceroy," Darth Sidious spoke softly in the sudden silence. "This is my apprentice, Lord Maul. He will find your lost ship."

Nute Gunray inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement, averting his eyes from the frightening presence. "Yes, my lord."

The hologram shimmered and disappeared, leaving the conference room empty of sound. The Neimoidians sat without moving, without even looking at each other, reptilian eyes fixed on the space the hologram had occupied.

"This is getting out of hand," Nute Gunray ventured finally, his voice high and tight, thinking that their plans for sabotaging the trade-routes did not contemplate risking their lives I the process.

Rune Haako managed a quick nod. "We should not have made this bargain. What will happen when the Jedi become aware that we are doing business with these Sith Lords?"

Nute Gunray, his hands clasped tightly before him, did not care to venture an answer.

* * *

(**Author's Note**) Whew, once that one got started, it just didn't stop! Big thanks to **animefan29** for editing the majority of this chapter.

And, yes, they are _NOT_ going to Tatoonie this time.


	4. Arrival on Malastare

**Star Wars: Episode 1—A Retelling  
**The Phantom Menace  
By: Tellemicus Sundance  
_#04: Arrival on Malastare_

**Hyperspace, en route to Malastare  
Royal Cruiser**

Aboard the Queen's transport, the Jedi stood with Captain Panaka and the remaining R2 unit as the captain gave his report to the Queen on the events surrounding their escape through the Trade Federation blockade. Amidala sat surrounded by her three handmaidens, white face framed by the black headdress, dark eyes steady, listening as the captain concluded.

"We are lucky to have this one in our service, Your Highness," Panaka glanced down at the blue-domed astromech droid. "It is an extremely well put together little droid. Without a doubt, it saved the ship back there, not to mention our lives."

Amidala nodded, eyes shifting to the droid. "It is to be commended. What is its number?"

The little blue droid entered into the conversation with a series of beeps and tweets. Captain Panaka reached down and scraped a large smudge off the droid's metal shell, then straightened. "R2-D2, Your Highness."

Queen Amidala leaned forward, a slender white hand came out to touch the droid's domed casing. "Thank you, R2-D2. You have proven both loyal and brave." She glanced over her shoulder. "Padme."

One of her handmaidens came forward. Qui-gon Jinn, listening to the exchange with half an ear as he considered the problems that lay ahead on Malastare, noticed it was the young woman who had supported the Queen's decision to escape from Naboo. He frowned at a new thought. It hadn't been exactly like that…

"See to the cleaning up of this little droid," the Queen was speaking to the girl. "R2-D2 deserves our gratitude." Turning back to Panaka, she said, "Please continue with your report, Captain."

Panaka glanced uncomfortably at the Jedi Knights. "Your Highness, we are heading for a planet called Malastare, located upon the Hydian Way." He paused, unwilling to speak further on the matter.

"It is a system that admittedly has Trade Federation presence," Qui-gon stepped into the gap smoothly. "Once there, we will be able to make needed repairs to the ship, then travel on to Coruscant and complete our journey."

"Your Highness," Captain Panaka said quickly, regaining his thoughts on the matter. "Malastare is a very dangerous place. Its political structure is torn between the Dugs who own the rights to one of the major exports of the planet and the Grans who control the military and government as a whole. Malastare is very ripe with corruption and other dangers. I do _not_ agree with the Jedi on their decision to land there."

The Queen looked at Qui-gon but the Jedi didn't waver. "You must trust my judgment, Your Highness."

"Must I?" Amidala asked quietly. Her gaze shifted to her handmaidens, ending with Padme. The girl hadn't moved from the Queen's side, but seemed to remember suddenly she had been given a task to complete. She nodded briefly to the Queen, and moved to take R2-D2 in hand. Amidala looked back at Qui-gon. "We are in your hands," she advised, and the matter was settled.

* * *

Jar Jar Binks had been left in the droid storage hold until after the lone R2 unit returned through the airlock and the Naboo came to retrieve it. They didn't seem to have any orders regarding the Gungan, so they simply left him to his own devices. At first Jar Jar was reluctant to venture out, still thinking of the younger Jedi's admonishment to stay put and out of trouble. He'd managed one out of the two, and he wasn't sure he wanted to tempt fate.

But in the end, his curiosity and restlessness got the better of him. The transport had stopped spinning, the Trade Federation attack had ceased, and the warning alarms had been silenced. Everything was peaceful, and the Gungan saw no reason why he should have to stay shut away in this tiny room for one more minute.

So he cracked the door, stuck his billed face out for a look around, eyestalks swiveling guardedly, saw no one, and made his decision. He left the storage room and wandered along the ship's corridors. He purposely chose a path that took him away from the cockpit, where the Jedi were likely to be found. He waited for someone to tell him to go back to where he had come from, but no one did. So he began to poke into things, careful of what he touched, but unable to help himself sufficiently to forgo all investigation.

He was following a narrow corridor that led up from the lower levels of the transport to the main cabin when he poked his head through airlock to find one of the Queen's handmaidens hard at work with an old cloth, cleaning the R2 astromech droid. Next to her was one of the young children they'd found fighting the battle droids in the hangar. The young boy was also scrubbing the R2 unit, talking about nonsensical stuff that Jar Jar didn't quite understand, something about the different types of metal polishers and rust-resistant coatings.

Just as the Gungan was about to introduce himself, a small head of orange, white, and blue suddenly swung into view in front of him, crying out, "Boo!" With a gurgled yelp, the startled Gungan literally jumped several feet in the air and hit his head on the ceiling above him, causing him to drop to the floor in a daze, blubbering incoherently as he watched about six or seven identical laughing Togrutans circling his head. Ahsoka dropped down from where she'd been hanging upside-down above the doorway, laughing heartily at the Gungan's reaction.

"That wasn't very nice, Ahsoka," the boy called from where he was still busy cleaning the R2 unit. "Say you're sorry."

"Heheheh…okay," Ahsoka said, still giggling under her breath. Approaching the recovering Gungan, the young Togrutan made a slight bow of her head, "I'm sorry, Mr. Frog. Please forgive me."

"Huh? Uh…okeday?" Jar Jar said, shaking the last of his dizziness out of him. "Whosa are yousa?"

The little girl arched her eyebrow at his speech quirk before smiling broadly. "Mesa Ahsoka Tano!" she answered, speaking in a horribly mangled but cute nonetheless attempt at Gungan speech.

"Mesa Jar Jar Binks," Jar Jar greeted, allowing Ahsoka to grab his hand pull him into the main cabin. Looking at the two unnamed occupants, he asked, "Whosa are yousas?"

"I'm Padme," the handmaiden answered, giving small, soft smile at the Gungan.

"Skyguy thinks she's an _angel_," Ahsoka whispered in a purposely loud voice to Jar Jar, grinning impishly at the boy. The boy in question did his best to ignore the girl, but there was a curious amount of red starting to fill his face.

"My name is Anakin Skywalker," the boy greeted, looking up from his work to greet Jar Jar. "You came with those Jedi, didn't you?"

"Uh-huh!" Jar Jar nodded. "Mesa who da dem life-save for savin' meen in swamp. But where yousas coma from?"

"I've been wondering that myself," Padme said, turning her attention from the dark smudge on R2 she'd been scrubbing to watching Anakin with a curious gaze. "Who are you two exactly and what were you doing in Her Majesty's Royal Hangar?"

"Her Majesty's?" Anakin repeated, surprise written all across his face as he looked up at Padme. "You mean that hangar and all those ships belonged to the Queen? No wonder there were so many clankers there."

"You're not from Naboo, are you?" Padme asked, somewhat surprised and even more curious. "How'd you manage to get trapped on Naboo?"

"We were crewmembers of the _Early Harvest_," Anakin answered, returning his attention to cleaning the astromech. "It was a Corellian Action IV transport that—"

"It was that big ship that Ani stopped from crashing into the city a week ago!" Ahsoka spoke up, grinning proudly. "That was so awesome! I wish I was strong to do that!"

"With time and training, Ahsoka," Anakin said simply.

"Wait, you mean _you_ were the one who…moved that ship?" Padme asked, surprise clear and obvious in her surprise. "But…How could you do that? You're not a Jedi, are you?"

Anakin looked up at Padme for a second before a playful twinkle entered his eyes. A split second later, R2, the pot of cleaner beside them, and other miscellaneous objects throughout the cabin began to lift and float in the air. Anakin's playful grin remained on his face as Jar Jar and Padme gazed around the room in surprise and awe, even R2 was letting out several beeps of wonder and amusement as he surveyed his new viewpoint. When the handmaiden's gaze returned to him, he just shrugged nonchalantly as he said, "I'm not a Jedi, but I know some of their tricks."

"Are you sure you're not a Jedi?" she couldn't help but ask. "That would explain the lightsabers I saw earlier."

Shrugging again as he gently lowered all the stuff he was levitating, Anakin said, "I don't think I'd make for a good Jedi. Their code is too strict and restrictive for me."

"And why do you say that?" a new voice asked from the other side of the cabin. All the occupants turned to see Jedi Master Qui-gon Jinn enter the room and take a seat off to the side, his attention focused mostly upon Anakin. "What don't you like about the Jedi Code?"

"It's too restrictive," Anakin said immediately. "It forces all Jedi to lock away and ignore their emotions. It tries to force you to become like droids, mechanical beings without emotion or free spirit."

"It seems a little egotistical of you to so easily dismiss our teachings when you don't understand them," Qui-gon pointed out calmly, showing no reaction to Anakin's opinion. "We may train to control our emotions, but that doesn't mean we don't have any. We simply choose when and where to release them."

"A Jedi does not feel love, anger, envy, or hatred," Anakin said quietly. "But compassion is necessary for Jedi. Wouldn't 'compassion' mean 'universal _love_ for all things'? And how can a Jedi release his emotions if he never tries to confront and understand them?"

"By feeling those emotions, a Jedi runs the risk of falling to the dark side of the Force," Qui-gon said, his eyebrow quirking at the boy's surprising amount of wisdom and the quickly-escalating argument they were getting into. "No Jedi is immune to the dark side's temptations and we must be ever vigilant."

Anakin was quiet for a moment as he stared at the Jedi Master, his eyes slightly narrowed into a weak glare as his mind sought to come up with a comprehensive manner of expressing his opinion. Unbeknownst to him, their audience of Ahsoka, Jar Jar, Padme, and R2 had all been drawn into the argument they were having and more than curious as to what Anakin's response would be.

"I read somewhere a long time ago about the start of the earliest civilizations," Anakin finally began. "Way back then, the people use to live along the banks of rivers that would quite regularly flood. Today, many people would think that a river flooding would be a bad thing. But back then it was actually a very important thing that happened, so important that the people relied on the rivers to flood. Because, while dangerous, they also revitalized the land and ensured good farming conditions."

"And you think of the Force and expressing your emotions as being like those rivers?" Qui-gon said, instantly catching onto the analogy the boy was creating. "That by expressing yourself, you'd be less prone to falling to the dark side than if you—?"

"I don't care about the dark side," Anakin interrupted. "I don't care about conforming to what's been established as 'good' or 'bad'. I just want to do what's right by me, Ahsoka, and anyone else I choose to protect."

"Don't let your pride in yourself get the best of you," Qui-gon cautioned quietly. "While you may not care for what's right and wrong, that doesn't make the lure of the dark side any less dangerous… You say you think of the Force as a flooding river, I can understand that." He smiled slightly at the surprised gaze in Anakin's eyes before turning serious again. "However, I think the dark side of the Force is like a forest fire. A pure force of destruction that consumes everything until nothing is left or it is extinguished by an outside source."

There was a long moment of silence that filled the cabin. The spectators of the argument glanced between the Jedi and the young boy, trying to gauge what would happen next. Qui-gon remained calm and collected as he studied the boy. Anakin had his face scrunched up slightly as he was processing and rapidly forming his opinion. After several moments, he finally looked up as he said, "What would you do to keep from becoming a forest fire?"

Qui-gon smiled slightly. The boy wasn't above asking for opinions of others, even if he didn't necessarily share their points-of-view. There was hope for him yet. "Fire may be destructive, but, if used _properly_, it could also be a cleansing force as well. I'd recommend trying to temper its power with empathy and understanding. Although, I feel you've already gotten a good head start on that issue."

"Ani, tell him _your_ Code," Ahsoka spoke up from next to him, blushing and quickly hiding behind R2 when the Jedi glanced at her in curiosity.

"What 'code' is this?" Qui-gon asked, more than a little curious to the potential driving force behind the boy's opinion.

"It's something my mother taught me before I sold to my last new master," Anakin said, trying his best to ignore Padme's startled gasp at the realization that he'd once been a slave. "She told me it was a family code that has been passed down for many generations. I've only recently realized it was an ancient Force Philosophy."

_Now_ Anakin had Qui-gon's _undivided_ attention.

* * *

**Near Port Pixelito, Malastare**

If there was one thing that constantly got any new visitors' attention when they first landed on the planet, it was one simple condition that was almost always overlooked on any other planet in the known galaxy. And this particular trait had a rather peculiar habit of dropping the visitors on their bottoms in surprise until they adjusted. This was particularly true for two younglings who'd bounded joyously off the Nubian transport once the ramp had been lowered.

"Oof!" "Puwah! Yucky!" cried to the two newest tourists who'd just stepped out of their ship's safety zone. They ended up face-planted on the dark, damp soil of the forested area the ship had landed in.

"Watch that first step, kids," Obi-wan quipped needlessly, a slight grin on his face. "It's a doozy." Straining against the slightly heightened gravity of Malastare, the two younglings glared at the Jedi Padawan, which only increased his amusement.

Mustering the strength needed, Anakin was able to push himself back to his feet. He normally would've tried to help Ahsoka up as well, but he really feeling the weight increase on his body. It was something he was having trouble against, even more so with his mostly healed wounds. Looking down at Ahsoka, he saw her arms quivering and shaking violently as she tried to push herself off the ground without success.

Stepping around the struggling children as he walked towards the bow of the transport, utterly unaffected the gravity, he added, "Do try to not strain yourselves too much. I don't think we have enough bacta patches to fix you up anymore."

Ahsoka snorted loudly, still straining. "Just watch…Odie! We'll be…running circles around you…in no time!"

"My name is 'O_bi_-wan', Ms. Tano," Obi-wan said, slight annoyance in his voice as he started disassembling the bow hull to better assess the damage there. "Please don't be rude."

"Whatever you say…Odie!" Ahsoka snipped, not the least bit happy with the Padawan. It wasn't her fault the gravity was like _ten_ _times_ greater than she was used to! He didn't need to be a bantha-poodoo about it!

Obi-wan just sighed in annoyance. Then he glanced at Anakin, who was curiously going through a number of stretches to loosen his limbs. "Is she always like this?"

"Not really," the young Skywalker said in a strained voice, shifting into a sit-up position. "Only when she's annoyed…angry…hyper…bored…scared…"

"Basically, whenever she's awake, eh?" Obi-wan clarified, an eyebrow arching at the boy's casual assessment.

"Pretty much," Anakin agreed, not batting an eye to his part in embarrassing the young girl. The pair's amusement deepened slightly as they both sensed the sudden flare of embarrassment from the young Togrutan, her face darkening from something besides physical exertion.

Snorting quietly, Obi-wan turned back to his previous task. Hopefully, they wouldn't need to replace too many parts and could be underway again soon.

* * *

Handmaiden Padme Amidala was finding herself more and more surprised and slightly uncomfortable with the numerous events that had occurred within the last two days. First her planet had been overrun with battle droids and the Trade Federation had seized total control, then she was forced to abandon her world in the hopes of Republic assistance to end the Federation's invasion, and now they were forced to land on a planet that reputedly had dealings with the same Federation. But as bleak as the situation may have seemed, she was finding herself more and more interested in the pair of stowaways they'd picked up while fleeing off-world.

The boy, Anakin Skywalker, was clearly some kind of prodigal genius. He knew a great deal about maintenance and repair of mechanics, robotics, and computer systems. He was quite brave and recklessly daring, as she'd briefly glimpsed in that fight back in the Royal Hangar. Yet he was surprisingly wise for someone so young, standing up for his beliefs against those that Master Qui-gon Jinn followed, but also willing to set aside some of them in order to learn from others, even those he disagreed with. Despite herself, Padme was finding herself very interested in seeing what type of man he'd become when he grew up.

That wasn't to say that his companion was any less interesting. Ahsoka Tano was quite simply the essence of the adorable little sister. She had a quick wit, a sharp tongue when she wanted to use it, and rather strong sense of loyalty to her friend. And while she was still just a child, only a few years younger than Anakin, she was already quite smart and rather expressive in her opinions. The fact that she held Anakin up on a pedestal as an idol made it rather clear to Padme that the girl was probably gonna take quite a few of the boy's quirks and traits for her own, even if she didn't realize it.

Yet the most interesting thing about the pair was that both of them were Force-sensitive, yet they weren't Jedi younglings. Nor had the Jedi apparently even known of their existences until just recently. To put it simply, Padme was amused and rather curious about that and what events had transpired to cause that.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts of the duo, Padme entered the main hold of the ship. Glancing around, she found herself slightly disappointed to see that neither of the two younglings were in here either. She'd been looking forward to talking with them again, maybe having them help distract her from her worries about Naboo and what would be in store for them here on this new planet.

"Something I can help you with, Handmaiden?" Master Jinn asked as he caught sight her while he entered the hold from the direction of the cockpit.

"Do you know where Anakin and Ahsoka went?" she asked, keeping her voice and tone slightly submissive and uncertain, as per the role she was playing. "The Queen desired to make their acquaintance."

For some reason, this caused the elder Jedi to smile slightly as he gazed upon her. But he didn't stall in answering her question. "I believe I heard Anakin mentioning wanting to help my Padawan, Kenobi, with repairing the damage to the ship. They're probably outside, dismantling the hull as we speak. And I'm sure young Ahsoka is with them."

Bowing her head gratefully, she said, "Thank you, Master Jedi." Qui-gon merely nodded as he turned and took a seat at the tech station. Turning, she quickly headed to the lower deck lift and moved straight to the boarding ramp. Reaching the top of the ramp, she paused as she took in the scene of the planet before her.

On the advice of the Jedi, the Naboo ship had landed in a small clearing within the forest near Port Pixelito. The trees here were nothing like the lush tropical ones she was accustomed to on Naboo. They were green, but had a ruggedness about them that spoke of long days in harsh, dry winds in a semi-arid climate. The sunlight was bright, but not blinding so thanks to the overcast skies. The terrain itself was as equally rugged as the plants, sharp rocky mounds and hills dotted what little of the landscape that she could see. Overall, it was very different world than what she was expecting.

"Thirty…three," a familiar voice gasped below her, drawing her attention. "Thirty…four."

Looking down, she found herself staring at a sweat-drenched pair of younglings as they struggled to perform some simple pushups. "What are you guys doing?"

Lifting their gazes up towards with some difficulty, they managed to muster up similar pained grins. "Exercising?" Anakin said, sounding more like he was trying to find an excuse than explain what he was really doing. Padme just raised her eyebrow as she started walking down the ramp.

"Careful!" both of them called as she neared the edge of the ramp, much to her slight confusion. She soon understood their warning as a sudden and unexpected weight dropped onto her body, causing her stumble. But thankfully for her dignity, she managed to catch herself and keep on her feet, adjusting the increase in weight.

"Higher gravity?" she said to herself, surprised. Though she knew that some planets did indeed have variations, she hadn't expected to visit one so relatively early in her life. Looking over at the red-faced younglings, she suddenly understood what they were doing, trying to acclimate to the planet. As children, they were still rather undeveloped in terms of body strength, but on that same token they could also adjust much easier.

"You two look tired," she observed, smiling kindly at them. "Wanna come in and have a snack? Also, the Queen would like to meet you two."

"Okay!" Ahsoka chirped, all too happy to take a break. Managing to climb to her feet this time, she took some heavy stomping steps as she slowly made her way to the ramp. It didn't surprise Padme one bit when the girl practically collapsed upon the ramp, heaving heavy pants and gasps as her body twitched sporadically.

Looking back at Anakin, Padme offered a slight grin at the boy as she asked, "What have you been putting her through, Anakin?"

The boy's face reddened slightly as he glanced away while climbing to his own feet. "At least she's able to stand to now."

Taking the boy's hand, Padme guided him back to the 'safety' of the ship. "Come on. You two definitely need a break." The fact that the boy didn't fight her told her plenty about his own state of exhaustion. Reaching the ramp and the normal gravity setting, Padme let out a breath of relief herself before crouching down and picking up Ahsoka, carrying her up into the ship.

In the main hold, Padme gently rested Ahsoka against one of the cushioned benches in the corner. Glancing over at Anakin, she found the boy at the small galley nearby, filling two cups with water. He handed one cup to Ahsoka as he took a seat across from her and Padme, sipping his own drink carefully.

"Ani, where're your parents?" Padme asked softly, trying to pitch her voice to come off as politely curious and not showing any of the anxiety she felt about what she was sure his answer would be.

"I don't know who my father was," Anakin answered softly. "My mother never talked about him, or anyone else. My mom is named Shmi Skywalker and I last saw her on Tatooine, about two years ago now."

"Two years?"

"That was when I won the Arch Canyon Podrace," Anakin said, frowning unhappily at the memory. "My master, Watto, had bet a _lot_ of money on another racer, not me, winning. My win caused him to lose everything and he ended up having to sell me to a gambler fanatic just to be able to pay his debts. I haven't been back to Tatooine since."

"That's awful," Padme said softly, her natural empathy crying out for her to embrace and hold the poor boy.

Looking up, Anakin's eyes gained a surprisingly serious gaze within them. "I'm gonna go back one day and free her, I swear it!"

"Then you can help me find my parents, Ani," Ahsoka said butting into their conversation naively. "I wanna show them all the cool things I'm learning!"

As she was glancing between the two, Padme saw something peculiar. While Ahsoka's expression was of earnest desire, Anakin's slight smile was noticeably strained. For whatever reason, he didn't seem all that happy or enthusiastic to go in search of Ahsoka's parents. Then again, Padme admitted to herself, maybe she was reading too deeply into this.

"Padme?" an unfamiliar voice called from the cockpit area. A moment later, another Handmaiden walked into the main hold, quickly spotting Padme and the children. "Her Majesty is ready to receive the children…if they're ready."

"We'll be right in," Padme answered quickly, nodding in acknowledgement to her companion. Turning back to their youngest passengers, she stood and beckoned them to follow, "Please come with me. I'm sure Her Majesty would like to thank you two for your help. Maybe even try to reward you somehow..."

"Uh...Okay," Anakin said, clearly uncomfortable for some reason as he stood to follow her and the other Handmaiden to the back of the ship and the awaiting Queen.

* * *

(**Author's Note**) Big thanks to **animefan29**!

On a side note, the gravity of Malastare is only 1.54 when compared to the galactic standard of 1. So, Anakin weighing about 80lbs/36kg would weight approximately 120lbs/54kg instead. It may not seem like much, but over time it gets to be quite exhausting.


	5. The Game of Thrones

**Star Wars: Episode 1—A Retelling  
**The Phantom Menace  
By: Tellemicus Sundance  
_#05: The Game of Thrones_

**Malastare  
Outside Port Pixelito**

Qui-gon exited the cruiser and walked over to his awaiting apprentice without even the slightest of stumbling as he instantly adjusted to the gravity change. He was dressed a rather nondescript poncho over some weather-beaten leggings and a tunic. Walking up to the mess of discarded parts and hull plating, he asked, "What have you found?"

Obi-wan's face was clouded. "The pilot was correct for the most part. The long-range sensor array is completely shot and the navigational sensors are also lightly damaged from shrapnel. But we've also lost the communication antennas, so we can't call for help either. On the bright side, most of these parts are very common and cheap. We should be able to get some and get back underway in less a day, Force willing."

Sighing in heart-felt relief, Qui-gon nodded. "That's a relief. With the communications down, we don't have to worry about our companions sending distress signals that'll be intercepted and traced." He lowered his voice slightly as he glanced around them to ensure their privacy. "Be wary, Obi-wan. I sense a great unbalance in the Force."

"I've felt it also, Master," Obi-wan said quite seriously, to Qui-gon's slight surprise. He hadn't suspected that his pupil's senses were developed enough to notice something so faint, especially with the pair of walking beacons they'd picked up on Naboo so close by. "I will be careful."

Returning to the ship, he gathered up Jar Jar and the R2 unit. Though he'd be unburdened going into the city alone, the spaceport was a multinational trading port. Having companions with him would make him more unnoticeable than if he'd gone alone, ironic as it may seem. But as they were descending down the ramp, a voice called out, drawing the three to a halt.

It was that favored 'handmaiden' of the Queen's, now dressed in rough peasant's garb with her hair up in a complicated braid atop her head. Next to her were Anakin and Ahsoka, both also similarly dressed in peasant clothes that were obviously too large for their smaller frames and had been rough cut by an unsteady hand to fit them slightly better. Stepping ahead of the two younglings, the handmaiden stated, "Her Highness commanded that I accompany you. She wishes for me to give a report on the planet and what you purchase—"

"No more commands from Her Highness today, young Handmaiden," Qui-gon interrupted quickly, shaking his head in refusal. "Port Pixelito isn't going to be a pleasant place."

"I've been trained in self-defense," the girl answered immediately, glaring at the implied insult to her capabilities. "I can also speak a number of languages. I'm not afraid. I can take care of myself. Besides, this is an order by the Queen and I will not refuse it."

Qui-gon hesitated, having prepared to give his own order to keep her here. But it seemed that her loyalty was more to her leader than his status as a Jedi and a Republic ambassador. But as he looked at her, he saw the strength in her eyes and quickly changed his mind. She might be useful, and she could help him create a cover story of being a family in transit, thus less aggressive seeming.

Nodding to himself for his decision, he said, "I don't have time to argue the matter, Handmaiden. I still think this is a bad idea, but you may come. Stay close to me." Turning to the two younglings, he raised his brow at them. "I take it you wish to follow as well?"

Anakin nodded with a solemn expression on his face. "I need to contact some people on Ryloth about what happened to the _Early Harvest_. We're basically out of a job now, and they were our friends."

"And _don't_ say that Pixaliato is any place for _us!_" Ahsoka quipped, trying to sound as serious as Anakin was. It was a failed attempt due to her accidentally mispronouncing the name. "Anakin can thrash _any_ bad guy who gets in _our_ way!"

As arrogant as that may have sounded, Qui-gon found himself believing the girl's words. With his wits and some usage of his budding Force powers, the young Skywalker could probably hold his own against most of the average types of street scum and criminals that thrived in the Outer Rim worlds. And that wasn't even taking into account the lightsaber and shoto he was wearing on his utility belt. Sighing heavily in resignation, he just rubbed his forehead in an attempt to ward off what he knew would be the beginnings of a headache. "Very well then."

And thus the strange procession of Jedi Master, handmaiden, Gungan, two younglings, and an astromech droid moved down the ramp and headed off to the cityscape just visible on the horizon.

* * *

**Port Pixelito**

It was not quite yet midafternoon by the time that the members of the little company under Qui-gon's command reached Pixelito. They made their way toward the spaceport's center. Port Pixelito was a huge, bustling metropolis of mixed architecture. Buildings that were clearly reminiscent of Coruscant's grand towers and all the way down to others that were mere ram-shackled huts slapped together from whatever materials the builders had been able to scourge up. Streets were broad and packed with beings of every shape and size, most from off planet, though there were clearly more Gran and Dugs in numbers than any other single type. Carts, sleds, and wagons that ran on wheels and mechanical tracks, as well as classy repulsorlift vehicles lined the streets. It was a true mishmash of commerce trafficking between the Dug planet and a vast majority of the rest of the civilized galaxy.

Qui-gon kept a close watch for trouble. There were Rodians, humans, Dugs, Grans, and others whose purpose was always suspect. Most of those they passed paid them no notice. One or two turned to glance at Jar Jar or the younglings, but dismissed them almost out of hand once they got a good look at them. As a group, they blended in nicely. There were so many combinations of creatures of every species that the appearance of one more meant almost nothing. The only thing that set them apart from most groups was that by the time they'd entered the city, there were some noticeable patches of sweat leaking through the clothes of Padme and the younglings, who were also struggling somewhat visibly to walk and move about. Though Qui-gon wasn't as hampered by the gravity as them, there was still a shine of moisture on his brow. Surprisingly, or maybe not, only Jar Jar was truly unaffected by the gravity thanks to his high-strength leg and back muscles.

"This planet was originally the homeworld of the Dugs," Qui-gon said, speaking to his companions in a low and conversational voice. "Then the Grans came. After a bloody uprising by the Dugs, the Grans used their political power in the Republic Senate to seize control of the planet. Ever since then, the Dugs have struggled to reclaim Malastare as their own."

"That's terrible," Padme said, clearly appalled by what had taken place here many centuries ago. "How could the Senate condone such actions?"

"Money, power, blackmail, _politics_," Qui-gon listed off in a neutral voice. "Republican bureaucracy at its finest."

"You don't like the Senate?" Padme asked, a slight narrowing of her eyes as she glanced at the Jedi Master.

Qui-gon just shrugged a bit, keeping his attention on their surroundings, looking for a shop that sold starship parts or a cantina for his companions to rest in for a few minutes. As it turned out, he found both places nestled right across from each other on the next road intersection they reached. Looking back at his companions, he nodded in the direction of the cantina. "Go sit down and rest for a few minutes, young Handmaiden. I'll be right across the street in the junk dealer shop."

"My name is Padme," the girl grunted out in annoyance, but gave no complaint as she headed for the building. Anakin and Ahsoka were right behind her, with Jar Jar and R2 following after Master Jinn.

Entering the cantina, Padme was momentarily shocked at what greeted her inside. From the outside, it seemed rundown and smelly but still rather popular. On the inside, it was darker than she would've liked. '_Perhaps the regulars of this place are unaccustomed to the light of day or don't wish to be seen clearly?_' she thought, somewhat naively. What she didn't consider was that the dim interior, in combination with the brilliantly lit entrance permitted everyone inside to see each newcomer before he could see them. And, once passing the entranceway, she was suddenly hit by a rather substantial increase of humidity and air that was thick with smoke and body odor, producing a very dissatisfying smell for the unprepared.

Moving inward, Padme was astonished at the variety of beings making use of the bar. There were one-eyed creatures and thousand-eyed, creatures with scales, with fur, and some with skin that seemed to ripple and change consistency according to their feelings of the moment. Conversation was a steady babble of human and alien tongues, most of which she found she couldn't understand, let alone speak. It was in this moment that Padme became very acutely aware of the simple fact that she was now nowhere near her homeworld and the safety bubble she'd grown up in and was accustomed to. This realization caused a small but noticeable stake of fear to lodge itself into her heart for a moment.

Then she felt a small hand reach into hers and grab hold, pulling her off to the side. Shaken from her inner musings, Padme found that the owner of the hand was little Ahsoka. The youngling Togrutan was pulling her over towards a sectioned off booth where Anakin had already taken a seat and was fiddling with the Holonet display. Just as the two girls reached the booth, a small hologram of a Rodian had taken shape and was speaking to the boy in Huttese.

"Obviously we're not on Naboo, Macko. We were able to escape." Anakin said, rolling his eyes at the Rodian before turning somber and serious. "The _Early Harvest_ ran the blockade, but we got shot down before we landed. Captain Havoc was killed."

The Rodian sighed, shaking his head in sympathy before asking something.

"Yes, of _course_ Ahsoka's _still alive_ and _with_ me!" Anakin snapped, seemingly quite offended by the implied question. So offended, that he began ranting and cussing in Huttese himself at the Rodian, who was now throwing up his hands in a futile effort to silence the boy.

As this was happening, Padme looked over at Ahsoka, who was sitting next to her, leaning into her arm as a rest. The little Togrutan seemed to understand Huttese rather well since she was both blushing and grinning at the very colorful words the boy was spewing at the Rodian. Judging by the boy's current temperament and the twinkle of mischievousness in Ahsoka's eyes, Padme suddenly had a very good idea of what Anakin was saying.

"Anakin," she finally spoke up after a few moments of his ranting. The boy quieted down as he glanced at her. Nodding towards Ahsoka, she said, "Not in front of the children, okay?"

Anakin blinked for a moment as he looked down at Ahsoka's grinning face. Nodding in agreement with Padme after a moment, he turned back to the Rodian, who was subtly wiping its brow in relief. Back in Basic again, Anakin said, "I just wanted to tell you that the _Early Harvest_ is gone. You'll have to find a new ship to work on if you're still interested."

Nodding again, the Rodian spoke again, which caused Anakin to shrug helplessly. "We'll get by somehow and see what happens. Don't worry about us."

Shrugging himself, the Rodian bid farewell to Anakin and looked over to the side where it guessed Ahsoka was probably sitting and waved farewell to the girl as well before the connection ended.

"What was that all about?" Padme asked. "And who was that?"

"His name is Macko Jee Tonena," Anakin said, sitting back in his seat to relax his body. "He was one of the _Early Harvest_ crewmembers who stayed behind at our last stop, Ryloth. He's a…kind of a shady guy that you probably wouldn't like, but he's very good at finances and money-handling."

Humming in thought, Padme nodded. It would make sense that some crewmembers of the younglings' transport ship would've decided to stay behind if given the choice. That blockade of Naboo had been no joke after all. Trying to run it was only a job for the crazy or arrogant or desperate. As the young woman sat back, letting her throbbing muscles and body relax, Anakin called one of the cantina waiters to order some drinks for them.

* * *

**Zone's Goods and Surplus Shop**

"I believe that is everything on the list, sir," the shop owner said as he double-checked the datapad that Qui-gon had given him. Qui-gon idly noted that the man had a faint Corellian slur to his vowels and 'r's, he was probably born and raised there before leaving.

"How much for everything, Mr. Zone?" Qui-gon asked, keeping his slight unease well-hidden.

"Hm…" Zone hummed as he ran the figures in his head. "You're looking at the better part of 7,000 credits, and an additional 2,000 for the transport sled and any fuel you use."

A faint smile graced Qui-gon's face. Nine thousand credits were well within his price range, even if it took out a substantial amount. Reaching under his poncho, he grabbed his credit disk and handed it to Zone. Zone plugged the little drive into his own personal datapad and ran the numbers, depositing the correct amount into his own account, under Qui-gon's watchful eye.

Retrieving his disk, Qui-gon nodded to the man, "I thank you, good sir."

"Good doing business with you, offworlder," Zone said, turning to set his pad down on the table counter near them. "Perhaps there's a chance we could deal again in the near-future?"

"What did you have in mind?" Qui-gon asked, most of his attention focused on programming the repulsorlift sled to carry the supplies back towards the Naboo cruiser. The sled was a fair simple device with a large cargo bed that had rather heavy retractable plating that could ward off any casual thief, a common brand repulsorlift engine, and a basic navcom that could direct it towards any location within its fuel-range. Overall, it was quite efficient for the task it was meant for.

"There's a big Podrace scheduled in the next three days here," Zone said, grinning somewhat greedily. "Apparently some big-shot Dug racer is returning home and had the race christened in his name. Maybe you'd care to place a little wager?"

Gambling, of course. In recent times, the Outer Rim worlds had become increasing impoverished as megacorporations, politics, and greed grew in droves among the more wealthy of the galaxy's beings. This caused many of the Outer Rim governments to become very weak and ineffective at exercising law enforcement. So much so that the Outer Rim worlds had come to be widely considered as breeding grounds for misery and hardship, a slight misconception in some cases but was still lightly based on fact. And on many of these worlds, the people began hosting all manner of 'sporting events', regardless of legality or not, in order to help them forget their troubles for a brief amount of time. And gambling on Podracing was one of the more popular brands, a trend that had even started to spread among the more civilized parts of the galactic core worlds.

"As intriguing as that sounds, I'm afraid I have pressing matters to attend to," Qui-gon said simply, politely bowing his head. "Thank you again and I bid you good day." Turning, he walked out of large outdoor enclosure he'd been in, guiding the sled with him until it reached the street where he engaged the autopilot. He watched the sled as it carried on by itself for moment to verify it was heading the correct general direction. Then he glanced to the side where he spotted the blue R2 unit and his Gungan companion poking at and watching some small colony of insects scuttling along the ground. Calling out, he said, "Come along, R2, Jar Jar!"

* * *

**Cantina**

Ran Yen couldn't help crinkling his nose in disgust at the smell of the cantina. Even with the ragged cloak he wore, the dark setting of the cantina itself, and overall dismissal he received from the occupants, it didn't set the Gran at ease one bit. Under normal circumstances, the three-eyed being of quite considerable political and financial stature wouldn't have been caught dead in such a filthy and nauseating place at this bar for criminals.

'_But this meeting is __**hardly**__ normal_,' he reminded himself for the umpteenth time. Sometimes, a being had to go places and do things they'd much rather not in order to get the things they otherwise wouldn't have been able to, without undue scrutiny. Settling down in a Holonet booth across from a trio of ragged peasants, Ran Yen quickly entered in the specific caller id, address numbers, and password phrases.

After a moment of waiting for the connections to be made, a pair of small holograms came to life in front of Ran Yen. In one hologram was a Neimoidian who was dressed in very extravagantly fine clothing and an equally elaborate headdress that spoke volumes of the amount of wealth and high status that the Neimoidian possessed in his organization. The other hologram featured an especially overweight Sullustan who was in a rather crude business suit and looked highly uncomfortable in it, as was quite understandable and fitting given the usual job that the Sullustan performed daily.

"_How nice of you to __**finally**__ contact us, Ran Yen_," the Sullustan snapped irritably as it shuffled its suit. "_Perhaps we can get right to business then?_"

"_Have you no proper etiquette, Ryar?_" Hal Ends, the Neimoidian, said in reply. "_I'm quite sure Ran Yen has a very good reason for keeping us waiting_."

Before Ryar could snap at Hal, Ran Yen spoke up with a grin, "As a matter of fact, I do. I just spent the past thirty minutes speaking to Doge Nakha Urus. He is _very_ much looking forward to the coming race. Everything is going according to plan."

At that bit of news, Ryar and Hal both perked up in interest. Hal was even visibly trembling in excitement. "_Is everything set for our little scam?_"

"But of course," Ran Yen answered. "The Dug's mechanic has recently come into our employ, and he will ensure that the engine pods will meet our _exact_ specifications. Mawhonic will be thrilled to humiliate that Dug on 'his own track' as it were."

"_Excellent!_" Hal practically purred, his excitement increasing substantially as he was already seeing the money he was about to swamped with. "_Gentlemen, I believe this venture of ours will be the start of a long and fruitful_—"

"_When can I expect the first shipment of Malastare fuel?_" Ryar interrupted, ignoring Hal's sputtering at cutting him off from a speech he'd probably rehearsed in private. "_My_ _employees are eager to get started on the refinement_."

"Presently, we have about a dozen freighters filled with over five hundred tons ready and waiting for deployment to the _Dugs'_ refineries," Ran Yen said, gritting his teeth in annoyance at that statement. "_Fortunately_, my people have kept the freighters grounded until after the race to 'reduce accidents' during the event. But once the race is completed and Mawhonic wins, we'll send the first shipment within the hour. You can expect the fuel within five days afterwards."

"_Perfect!_" Ryar grunted, nodding in acceptance. "_If_ _there's nothing else to discuss, I must get back to work._" Without waiting for a reply, he disconnected from the Holonet and his image failed immediately.

"_That one doesn't seem to understand the value of conversation_," Hal said, looking back at Ran Yen.

"I think he's just in love with his work," Ran Yen countered dismissively. "But he does make a point. I too must return before my absence is noticed. I'll speak to you if anything new comes up before the race."

"_Of course_," Hal Ends nodded. "_I'll inform the Viceroy that everything is proceeding as scheduled. Good day!_"

Ran Yen let out an audible sigh of relief as the hologram vanished, leaning back in his seat to relax. After a moment, he stood up and left, heading for his office in the Protectorate Building. He had to keep reminding himself that everything was going according to plan, that soon the Protectorate would _finally_ be in control of one of the Dugs' most dearly protected industries, and that Grans would become quite substantially more wealthy than they already were. _Nothing_ could happen that could change the outcome of what was to come!

And yet, as he was walking out of the cantina, passing an old man in a poncho with an R2 unit and a frog-like creature, he failed to notice a pair of angry glares directed at him from the booth next to his. A booth containing a young woman and two younglings who had been eavesdropping on the conversation since the Neimoidian had come into view.

* * *

**Naboo Royal Cruiser**

"And you're sure that is what you heard, Padme?" the Queen asked. Her gaze was quizzical and piercing as she studied the young teenager before her. "You didn't possibly misinterpret any of the wording or meanings from the rest of the cantina you were in?"

"No, Your Majesty," Padme answered in a firm, if somewhat submissive, tone of voice with her head bowed slightly. She was standing in the center of the Queen's Throne Room aboard the Royal cruiser. Anakin stood beside her quietly as he watched and listened to everything around them. Ahsoka sat off to the side with Obi-wan, who had already completed the necessary repairs to the ship, and Qui-gon as they listened to Padme repeating the conversation they'd overheard in the cantina, with Anakin adding in little details every so often. "I paid careful attention to the conversation when I saw the Neimoidian. I wanted to make sure I heard everything, to make sure they weren't discussing us by some chance."

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Padme, young Skywalker," the Queen said, gesturing to the side for them to take their seats. Looking over at the Jedi, she said, "I know that this isn't the reason for which you've been tasked with, Master Jedi, but what is your opinion on this matter?"

Standing and moving to the center of the room, Qui-gon stood tall and meaningful before the audience as he answered, "As much as it pains me to say, Your Majesty, I cannot take any explicit action in this matter. Besides this being an internal matter between the Dugs and Grans, I have no judicial or executive right to interfere in the affairs of the state, no matter which planet they may be from. The Jedi protect, observe, and negotiate. We are peacekeepers, not enforcers or soldiers."

"Then what good is being a Jedi if you can't right the wrongs that you see being done?" Anakin asked, somewhat loudly in anger. "Even if they're happening right in front of you and you _can_ make a difference?"

"It's not that we _don't_ want to interfere, Anakin," Obi-wan said, glancing down at the youngling with an analytical gaze. "It's that we also have another mission of utmost importance. Bringing the Queen to Coruscant as quickly as we can, before any more suffering and possible death can befall the people of Naboo. Don't forget that they are being oppressed in ways that the Dugs here are not."

"But we could still do _something_ to help!" Anakin said, a slight desperation entering his voice as he glanced between the numerous adults in the room, trying to find any who could or would help him. "The Gran said they were gonna rig the Podrace in a few days. Maybe we could somehow throw off the odds? I could build or buy a Pod and enter the race. Nobody would expect it when I won, and when I do it'd completely ruin their plan! And—"

"Anakin," Padme's soft voice cut off the child's retort instantly as the boy focused his attention on her. "As noble as your desires to help the Dugs are, the game of thrones never has an easy answer. The choices of those in power affect those around them, whatever they may be. And while I _do_ agree with you, the Jedi are _not_ wrong either."

Qui-gon and Obi-wan both shared a subtle but pointed glance between one another at Padme's explanation. Clearly this girl was _far_ more than a mere Handmaiden. Anakin stared at her with a somewhat hurt expression before he stood and stomped off towards the door, ignoring Padme's calls, and left without another word. But his repressed anger was obvious to all as various floor tiles, wall panels, overhead lights, and bolting screws started vibrating, shaking, and denting at his passing.

Ahsoka climbed to her feet and stomped off towards the door as well. But rather than just running off after her pseudo-brother, she turned around to glare at all the adults still in the room. "Anakin once told me that the biggest problem in this galaxy is that no one tries to help one another… _Now_ I understand what he means!"

She marched out into the hall, turning back and clapped her hands together as she used the Force to purposely slam the doors shut in her anger. Though she didn't see it, Ahsoka's rather violent exit caused many of the adults to flinch. Not necessarily out of surprise or fright, but because they knew that she'd spoken the truth of the matter in more ways than she probably realized. Obi-wan and Qui-gon both felt the spikes of dark energies spiraling around the pair as they departed.

The Queen of Naboo snuck a quick glance at Padme before she looked at Qui-gon. "What's to be done, Master Jedi?"

Before the Jedi could utter a word, the doors suddenly opened themselves and Ric Olié rushed in. "Your Majesty, we've got a problem! The scanners just detected a massive fleet of Trade Federation warships entering the system!"

"What?!" the Queen demanded as everyone turned their full attention upon the man, unconsciously assuming defensive stances. "Did they find us? Have they tried to contact us? What would they be doing here?!"

Despite the surprising and slightly disturbing development, Qui-gon and Obi-wan remained calm and collected. "There is a possibility this fleet could be the same one that was formerly blockading Naboo, your Highness," Qui-gon observed, speaking his thoughts aloud. "That fleet is the closest and largest within this sector of space. Since they've invaded Naboo and probably already seized total control of the planet by now, they've probably finally called off the blockade and…sent their warships here, to the nearest refueling station."

"But if they've called off the blockade," Obi-wan spoke up, a thoughtful look on face. "That probably means there's only one ship in-system now, a droid control ship. And if you're right and they're only here to refuel, that probably means they still don't know of our presence here."

"We have to finish our repairs and take off, _now!_" Captain Panaka said somewhat forcefully. "We're already behind schedule and the Queen _must_ speak to the Senate as soon as possible!"

"But if they still don't know of our presence here, taking off now will alert them and we'll have to fight our way out," Ric Olié pointed out. "If the fleet truly is only here to refuel, then they should be gone within a few days. After that, we should be able to launch and enter hyperspace without any problems."

"Your Highness," Qui-gon said, turning to face again with a firm expression. "I'm afraid the decision is yours. Be patient and wait to see what the Federation's fleet really is doing here or launch now and try to escape off-world before they can stop us again."

All eyes turned to the Queen. For her part, the Queen merely bowed her head in thought as she closed her eyes, weighing the options available and the risks involved. Finally, after a moment of stressful thinking and waiting, she opened them again and glanced around the room. Though her gaze didn't linger any longer than it should've, Padme's very faint shaking of her head did not go unnoticed by either Jedi now that they were watching for the strange byplay. So when the Queen made her choice, it didn't entirely surprise them.

"A few days is not an unacceptable wait if it means making the journey with minimal trouble," she declared forcefully. "Captain, Mr. Olié, continue to monitor the fleet and report any changes immediately. We'll patient and wait for them to leave…for now."

"It would appear that we may be able to help the Dugs yet," one of the other Handmaidens said softly, glancing mischievously towards Padme. Padme's cheeks flushed very slightly at the remark, her plans having already been discovered.

* * *

**The Next Day…**

It was early morning and the pair of Jedi had long since woken and done their morning rituals of stretching, meditating, and freshening up for the coming day. It was during their small breakfast that they sensed it, a sudden spike in the Force that was coming from nearby. After only a short walk outside and away from the cruiser, they found the source of this spike.

There were two large engine pods, in differing stages of completion, attached by long and thick cables to a small, slightly rusted cockpit pod. R2 was working upon one of the engines, connecting power couplings, welding certain pieces of the frame together, adding patches to the dented armor, and cleaning the air intakes. The other engine was much more skeletal and disassembled than the other. Floating around the engine seemingly of their own accord were different pieces, components, and even tools, some of which would be randomly snatched out of the air by a small hand that snaked out of the engine interior before quickly vanishing back within. Sitting within the pod cockpit was a small orange Togrutan wearing thick black goggles, who was busy smelting the control panel wiring together.

"Very diligent, aren't they?" Qui-gon asked, somewhat impressed by the rather casual display of Force usage before him. In a way, it reminded him of how most Jedi assembled their lightsabers. If the boy was indeed using that same method, then it seemed that he was more in tuned with the Force than Qui-gon had originally thought.

"I'd say more 'determined,' Master," Obi-wan said, observing the scene carefully. "They really intended to go along with the boy's plan, regardless of whether or not we stayed to help them. I don't know if that is foolhardy naivety or brash arrogance to think that they can truly off-set the odds stacked against them."

"You'd be amazed how often madness and brilliance coincide, my Padawan," Qui-gon said. "But what truly sets the two apart are the results and the motivations. Nevertheless, never underestimate the strength of a child."

Obi-wan looked up at Qui-gon with an inquiring gaze. "Do you believe that they can actually succeed in this gambit?"

"I do," Qui-gon answered, looking back at his pupil. "Not only has Anakin set his mind to helping, he's determined to win. With his power and self-confidence, I foresee him winning this coming race. And also, don't forget that the ones who most frequently underestimate children are those who've forgotten their own childhoods."

As Obi-wan was nodding in acceptance, a sudden loud cry of pain pierced the air. In simultaneous timing with this cry, the various orbiting engine pieces and tools suddenly dropped lifelessly to the ground as Anakin hurriedly climbed out of his engine, holding one of his hands firmly. Moving forward to see what the problem was, the Jedi noticed a rather large, jagged cut along the boy's right forearm that was bleeding rather heavily.

"Ani, you okay?!" Ahsoka called out, looking up from her own work as she lifted her goggles.

"Are you alright?" Qui-gon asked, helping to lift the boy out of the engine and set him on the ground. As if in answer, a slew of foul Huttese answered the Jedi as Anakin clenched his bleeding arm. "That language isn't appropriate around Ahsoka, Anakin," Qui-gon said, frowning slightly at the boy's potty mouth.

The boy paused his ranting before looking up and saying, "Sorry, Master."

"Here, let's take a look at that," Obi-wan said, moving forward while reaching into his utility belt and pulling out a roll of bandage and gauze. Cleaning and wrapping the wound quickly, Obi-wan gestured towards the ship and the awaiting bacta patches. "You need to start taking care of yourself, Anakin. This is the second time in less than a week since you've been hurt."

"That's what _I_ always say!" Ahsoka quipped from where she stood off to the side, watching earnestly. "_Buuut_ he _always_ says—"

"I'm fine, don't worry about it," Anakin said, trying to speak over Ahsoka.

"_Yup!_ That's it! _Every_ _time!_"

The two Jedi shared amused glances as they gently guided the younglings back aboard the ship. Once they entered the main hold, Obi-wan discreetly passed Qui-gon the bloodied bandage he'd used to clean Anakin's arm before he continued towards the medical station with the boy. Taking out his datapad, Qui-gon rubbed a small smudge of the blood onto the scanner as he took a seat at the tech station and plugged the datapad into it.

Cycling through various programs, he brought up the blood sample and initiated a midi-chlorian scan. After several moments, the results emerged onscreen and Qui-gon was both surprised and slightly nervous as he saw what he'd somewhat expected to. A midi-chlorian count that went well off the measured scale of twenty thousand within a single cell and the _actual_ number could've very well been even higher!

'_For a boy to have such an enormous amount, already intuitively discovering how to wield the Force, and following a 'code' that emphasizes balance between chaos and harmony,_' Qui-gon thought to himself, his mind racing with possibilities. "Is he…the One?"

* * *

**Coruscant  
Early Evening**

Night blanketed the vast cityscape o Coruscant, cloaking the endless horizon of gleaming spires in deep velvet layers. Lights blazed from windows, bright pinpricks against the black. As far as the eye could see, as far as a being could travel, the city's buildings jutted from the planet's surface in needles of steel alloy and reflective glass. Long ago, the city had consumed the planet in its bulk, and now only the city, the center of the galaxy, the heartbeat of the Republic's rule.

A rule that some were intending to end once and for all a rule that some despised.

Darth Sidious stood high on a balcony overlooking Coruscant, his concealing black robes making him appear as if he were a creature produced by the night. He stood facing the city, his eyes directed at its heights, at the faint movement of its air traffic, disinterested in his apprentice, Darth Maul, who waited to one side. His thoughts were of the Sith and of the history of their order.

The true origins of the Sith had come into being almost 25,000 years ago. They were a cult given over to the dark side of the Force, embracing fully the concept that power denied was power wasted. A rogue Jedi Knight had founded what would one day become known as the Sith Order. A singular dissident in an order of harmonious followers. A rebel who understood from the beginning that the real power of the Force lay not in the light but the dark. Failing to gain approval for his beliefs from the Council, he had broken with the order, departing with his knowledge and his skills, swearing in secret that he could bring down those who had dismissed him.

He was alone at first, but others from the Jedi Order who believed as he did and who had followed him in his study of the dark side soon came over. Others were recruited, and soon the ranks of the Sith swelled in number. Disdaining the concepts of cooperation and consensus, relying on the belief that acquisition of power in any form lends strength and yields control, the Sith began to build their cult in opposition to the Jedi. Theirs was not an order created to serve; theirs was an order to dominate.

Thus began the Force Wars and a long successive series of wars for the next 25,000 years. Their wars with the Jedi were always long, vengeful, furious, and ultimately doomed. Even from the very beginning with the rogue Jedi who had founded the Sith Order as its nominal leader, his ambition excluded any sharing of power. His disciples began to conspire against him and each other almost immediately. So that the many wars they instigated were as much with each other as with the Jedi. In the end, the Sith destroyed themselves. They destroyed their leader first, then each other. What few survived the initial bloodbath were quickly dispatched by the watchful Jedi. Until, after 24,000 years of wars, victories, and defeats for both sides, a thousand years ago, all of the Sith had been killed.

All but one.

Darth Maul shifted impatiently. The younger Sith had not yet learned his Master's patience; that would come with time and training. It was patience that had saved the Sith Order in the end. It was patience that would give them their victory now over the Jedi.

The Sith who had survived when all his fellows had died had understood that. He had adopted patience as a virtue when the others had forsaken it. He had adopted cunning, stealth, and subterfuge as the foundation of his way—old Jedi virtues the others had disdained. He stood aside while the Sith tore at each other like kriks and were destroyed. When the carnage was complete, he went into hiding, biding his time, waiting for his chance.

When it was believed all of the Sith were destroyed, he emerged from his concealment. At first he worked alone, but he was growing old and he was the last of his kind. Eventually he went out in search of an apprentice. Finding one, he trained her to be a Master in his turn, then to find her own apprentice, and so to carry on their work. But there would only be two at any one time. There would be no repetition of the mistakes of the old Order, no struggle between Sith warring for power within the cult. Their common enemy was the Jedi, not each other. It was for their war with the Jedi they must save themselves.

The Sith who reinvented the Order called himself Darth Bane. A thousand years had passed since the Sith were believed destroyed, and the time they had waited for had come at last.

"Malastare is moderately populated," his student's rough voice broke into his thoughts and Darth Sidious lifted his eyes to the hologram of the planet that Maul was holding. "The Grans rule. The Republic has only minor influence at best. If the trace was correct, Master, I will find them shortly and without hindrance." The yellow eyes glimmered with excitement and anticipation in the strange mosaic of Darth Maul's face as he waited impatiently for a response.

Darth Sidious was pleased. For whatever reason, his apprentice had been unable to get a proper lock upon the Naboo Queen's ship's location. There was chance, however small, that the communication system had been damaged, and thus unable to receive the carefully censored bait that Maul had created to establish a trace. But the enthusiastic young Sith wouldn't be dissuaded easily. He turned his attention to the Holonet and created a complex search matrix that could hack communications and track specific keywords. The words that Maul had used were 'Naboo,' 'blockade,' 'escape,' 'Queen,' and 'Jedi'. Of those words, only the first three had been used within the same transmission of a single signal. As the only lead available, Maul latched onto it and followed it to Malastare. It was quite close to Naboo, and deceptively hidden under the Trade Federation's nose because it was already in their influence and thus they didn't feel the need to investigate it.

"Move against the Jedi first," Sidious advised softly. "You will then have no difficulty in taking the Queen back to Naboo, where she will sign the treaty."

Darth Maul exhaled sharply. Satisfaction permeated from his voice. "At last we will reveal ourselves to the Jedi. At last we will have our revenge."

"You have been well trained, my young apprentice," Darth Sidious soothed. "The Jedi will be no match for you. It is too late for them to stop us now. Everything is going as planned. The Republic will soon be in my control."

Maul took that as his cue to depart, which he did without hesitation. In the silence that followed, the remaining Sith Lord could feel a dark heat rise within his chest and consume his with a furious pleasure. '_Yes, everything is going exactly as I have foreseen_.' Bone-chilling laughter erupted out of the Sith Lord as he relished his approaching power and vengeance.

* * *

(**Author's Note**) **Animefan29** is proving to be a very thorough and patient helper when it comes to this story and cannot express my level of gratitude towards you. You readers really should give him a round of applause for his efforts. I would like say that the basic idea of this conspiracy in the chapter was **animefan29**'s brainchild and helped me refine it.

This chapter was a surprising fun for me to write. Between exploring more of Anakin and Ahsoka's characters, moving the plot along in different ways, and trying to incorporate the different factors and decision-changing moments that go into politics. I tried to show the complexity of the 'game of thrones'. Did I do a good job?


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